Typha latifolia
n 1: tall marsh plant with cylindrical seed heads that explode
when mature shedding large quantities of down; its long
flat leaves are used for making mats and chair seats; of
North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa [syn:
{cat's-tail}, {bullrush}, {bulrush}, {nailrod}, {reed
mace}, {reedmace}, {Typha latifolia}]
Flag \Flag\, n. [From {Flag} to hang loose, to bend down.]
(Bot.)
An aquatic plant, with long, ensiform leaves, belonging to
either of the genera {Iris} and {Acorus}.
[1913 Webster]
{Cooper's flag}, the cat-tail ({Typha latifolia}), the long
leaves of which are placed between the staves of barrels
to make the latter water-tight.
{Corn flag}. See under 2d {Corn}.
{Flag broom}, a coarse of broom, originally made of flags or
rushes.
{Flag root}, the root of the sweet flag.
{Sweet flag}. See {Calamus}, n., 2.
[1913 Webster]
Water torch \Wa"ter torch`\ (Bot.)
The common cat-tail ({Typha latifolia}), the spike of which
makes a good torch soaked in oil. --Dr. Prior.
[1913 Webster]
Bulrush \Bul"rush`\ (b[.u]l"r[u^]sh`), n. [OE. bulrysche,
bolroysche; of uncertain origin, perh. fr. bole stem + rush.]
(Bot.)
A kind of large rush, growing in wet land or in water.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The name bulrush is applied in England especially to
the cat-tail ({Typha latifolia} and {Typha
angustifolia}) and to the lake club-rush ({Scirpus
lacustris}); in America, to the {Juncus effusus}, and
also to species of {Scirpus} or club-rush.
[1913 Webster]
cattail \cat"tail\, Cat-tail \Cat"-tail\(k[a^]t"t[=a]l), n.
(Bot.)
A tall erect rush or flag ({Typha latifolia}) growing widely
in fresh and salt marshes, with long, flat, sword-shaped
leaves, having clusters of small brown flowers in a dense
cylindrical spike at the top of the stem; -- called also
{bulrush} and {reed mace}. The leaves are frequently used for
seating chairs, making mats, etc. See {Catkin}.
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
Note: The {lesser cat-tail} is {Typha angustifolia}.
[1913 Webster]