Typha capensis

Typha capensis, the bulrush or in Afrikaans papkuil or palmiet, is a marsh herb, a fresh water aquatic plant that grows naturally in southern Africa and elsewhere. The long strap-like or ribbon leaves are bluish grey or green with parallel, longitudinal veins. These stiff and upright leaves may be longer than 1.5 m.

The prominent velvety flower spikes grow on erect stems. The spikes start off pale yellow before turning brown. They consist of tiny male flowers stacked densely along the upper parts of the spike and female ones lower down. The flowers have no tepals, each male flower consisting of a few stamens and the female flower comprising just one carpel. There are hairs packed in between the individual flowers.

The plant spreads by creeping rhizomes that grow fast in conducive marshy or wetland conditions. The rhizomes supported by strong roots anchor the plant in the muddy water that may be standing or flowing slowly in varied inland conditions. The plant often grows robustly and tends to infest large areas quickly (www.plantzafrica.com).