Typha orientalis

cumbungi or raupō
Leaves and flower spikes of Typha orientalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Typhaceae
Genus: Typha
Species: T. orientalis
Binomial name
Typha orientalis
C.Presl
Synonyms
  • Typha japonica Miq.
  • Typha latifolia var. orientalis (C. Presl) Rohrb.
  • Typha muelleri Rohrb.
  • Typha orientalis var. brunnea Skvortsov in Baranov & Skvortsov
  • Typha shuttleworthii subsp. orientalis (C. Presl) Graebn.
  • Typha shuttleworthii var. orientalis (C. Presl) Rohrb.

Typha orientalis, commonly known as bulrush, bullrush, cumbungi in Australia, or raupō in New Zealand, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Typha. It can be found in Australia (all 6 states plus Northern Territory and Norfolk Island), New Zealand including the Chatham Islands and the Kermadec Islands), Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, China and the Russian Far East (Sakhalin and Primorye).[2][3]

T. orientalis is a wetland plant that grows on the edges of ponds, lakes and slow flowing rivers and streams.

Use

Raupō was quite useful to Māori. The rhizomes were cooked and eaten, while the flowers were baked into cakes. The leaves were used for roofs and walls and occasionally for canoe sails.[4] Māori introduced raupō to the Chatham Islands.

A traditional Māori whare (house)

References

  1. ↑ Zhuang, X. (2011). "Typha orientalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
  2. ↑ "Distribution".
  3. ↑ Flora of China, v 23 p 161.
  4. ↑ Lawrie Metcalf (1998). The Cultivation of New Zealand Native Grasses. Auckland, New Zealand: Random House. p. 48.
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