Bot. [mod.L., f. Gr. τύφη cat’s-tail.] A genus of aquatic herbs (type of the N.O. Typhaceæ), containing the common cat’s-tail or reed-mace (T. latifolia).
1548. Turner, Names of Herbes (E.D.S.), 79. Typha groweth in fennes and water sydes among the reedes…. It is called in englishe cattes tayle, or a Reedmace.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), II. 143. The water-lentil of our marshes, as well as the typha of our rivers, has the middle of it’s leaf swelled.
1838. Mary Howitt, Birds & Fl., Lit. Streams, 23. Typha strong, and green bur-reed.
1861. Bentley, Man. Bot., 688. The pollen of some species of Typha is edible.
