Typha

Typha - a species of the Typhaceae family, a perennial aquatic or marsh herb plant with milky rhizomes, robust aboveground stems that taper upwards, linear leaves, sheaths embracing the stem, closely connected male and female inflorescences, and fruit with elongated brown spots. Seeds are brown and slightly curved. Flowering and fruiting period is from May to August.

Typha grows in lakes, ponds, canals, swamps, and slow-moving riverbanks. It is cultivated in various provinces and regions of China, including Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, and Taiwan. It is also distributed in the Philippines, Japan, the former Soviet Union, and Oceania.

Reed grass has high economic value; its pollen, known as Pu Huang, is used in medicine; the leaves are used for weaving and papermaking; the basal part of the young leaves and the apex of the rhizome can be eaten as vegetables; the female inflorescence can be used as filling for pillows and cushions, making it one of the important aquatic economic plants. Additionally, the species' leaves are upright and the inflorescences are robust, often used for ornamental purposes.