Typha latifolia L.
= Massula latifolia
Broadleaf cattail, tule
Apache: tel (Castetter and Opler 1936:59)
Cahuilla: ku’ut (Bean and Saubel 1972:143)
Comanche: p̥isbuːni (Carlson and Jones 1939:524)
Cree: otawăsk (Leighton 1985:63)
Dakota: wihuta-hu (Gilmore 1977:12)
Gosiute: to’ĭmp (Chamberlin 1911:341)
Klamath: pō‘-päs (Coville 1897:89)
Lakota: wihuta hu – “tent bottom plant” / hiŋtkaŋ – “fuzz, scraped off” (Munson 1981:239)
Menominee: up’akiuoti’pa (Smith 1923:79)
Navajo: txatitíi‘ – “pollen” / txyeel – “broad” (Elmore 1944:24)
Ojibwe: (the catkin fuzz) bebamasûn – “it flies around” / (leaves) abûkwe’skwe – “wigwam cover” (Smith 1932:390,423)
Omaha-Ponca: wahab‘ igaskonthe (Gilmore 1977:12)
Osage: wakeðe / mikeðestsedse (Munson 1981:239)
Pawnee: hawahawa / kirit-tacharush (Gilmore 1977:12)
Northern Paiute: tóibi (Fowler 1990:69)
Winnebago: ksho-hin (Gilmore 1977:12)
Location in Texas: all TX, more C and SE; uncommon in Travis Co.; water habitat.
Form: grass-like, up to 10 ft. tall; perennial.
Flowers: Mar-Aug (yellow, brown, green).
Typha domingensis / Southern cattail
Food
Flowers (spadix) – the inflorescence spike (the cattail) was eaten fresh by the northern Paiute when young and green (Fowler 1990:71).
Pollen – the inflorescence spikes were shaken or tapped into a basket by the northern Paiute to gather the pollen (Fowler 1990:72). The pollen was mixed with water to form into cakes that were baked in coals, using layers of cattail leaves to contain the cakes (Fowler 1990:72). These cakes could be stored (Fowler 1990:72). The pollen was made into cakes and mush by the Cahuilla (Bean and Saubel 1972:143). The pollen contains about 1.04 kcal / gram, 5% protein, and 18% carbohydrates (Fowler 1990:72). Cattail pollen gathering yields an exceptionally high rate of return for calories consumed from the pollen per calorie expended to gather and process the pollen (Fowler 1990:72).
Seeds – the mature brown inflorescence spikes were warmed in the sun, and the fluff removed (Fowler 1990:72). The fluff was placed on the ground in a layer about 2 inches deep (Fowler 1990:72). It was set on fire and the mixture stirred to burn off all the fluff (Fowler 1990:72). The tiny seeds would remain on the ground, from where they were gathered (Fowler 1990:72). They were then winnowed, ground into meal, and boiled into mush (Fowler 1990:72). The dry meal was also eaten with a little water (Fowler 1990:72).The seed-like fruits of the lower, seed-bearing portions of the spike, were sometimes eaten by Indians after burning off the bristles (Ebeling 1986:33). This roasted the “seeds” which could then be rubbed off the spike (Ebeling 1986:33). Another method was to pull the down off the spikes, spread it on a flat rock, and burn it (Ebeling 1986:33). The tiny “seeds” were then swept up and used as food (Ebeling 1986:33). Spikes were gathered and bristles burned off, cleaning and cooking them in one step, by the Gosiute (Chamberlin 1911:341).
Shoots (culms) – a long piece of lateral root (rhizome) was dug from the mud and the new shoots emerging from it were broken off (Fowler 1990:70). The leaves were peeled off these shoots and the underlying white, crisp tissue was eaten fresh (Fowler 1990:70). Shoots were preferred from plants growing in moving, rather than stagnant, water, as the former provided sweeter, better-tasting shoots (Fowler 1990:70). When the young shoots were 10-40 cm long, the outer leaves were peeled away and the tender inner portion was eaten raw or in salads by western Indians (Ebeling 1986:33). The fresh stem base and young shoots were eaten by Cree (Leighton 1985:63).
Roots (rhizomes) – The rootstocks are usually 7-10 cm below the soil surface, can be eaten anytime, but are richest in starch at the end of the growing season (Ebeling 1986:33). The outer peel needs to be removed (Ebeling 1986:33). The central white core, about 1 cm in diameter, may be eaten raw, boiled, or baked (Ebeling 1986:33). When young and white, they were peeled and eaten raw or cooked by the Chiricahua and Mescalero Apache (Castetter and Opler 1936:47). Bruised and a juice extracted for a beverage by the Iroquois (Waugh 1916:149). Dried and ground into meal by the Cahuilla (Bean and Saubel 1972:143). Peeled and eaten raw or dipped in boiling water by Cree (Leighton 1985:63). Dried for storage, sometimes on a smoking rack by Cree (Leighton 1985:7). The rhizomes were peeled and eaten fresh by the northern Paiute (Fowler 1990:70). Dried for storage by splitting the roots into strips that were roasted over a fire, then let air-dry in baskets (Fowler 1990:70). The dried roots were ground into meal and cooked with hot stones in baskets (Fowler 1990:70). The meal was also moistened to form cakes that were roasted in coals (Fowler 1990:70).
GS – shoots: spring (Ebeling 1986:33); early spring (Fowler 1990:70); July (Leighton 1985:63). Flowers: May and June (Fowler 1990:71). Roots: spring (Castetter and Opler 1936:47); end of growing season,or year-round (Ebeling 1986:33); “late in the season, when full of stored food” (Coville 1897:90); just before blooming or year-round (Leighton 1985:7).
Medicine
Fruit down – the fluffy fibers around the seed were used to make dressings for burns and scalds and to prevent chafing in infant diapers by the Dakota, Omaha, Ponca, Winnebago, and Pawnee (Gilmore 1977:12).
Roots – used to heal bleeding wounds by the Cahuilla (Bean and Saubel 1972:143).
Material
Fruit down – used as padding in pillows, blankets, and for the Indian cradle board by Western Indians (Ebeling 1986:33), Dakota, Omaha, Pawnee, Ponca, Winnebago (Gilmore 1977:12), Osage (Munson 1981:239), and Klamath (Coville 1897:90). Pads of down were used as diapers by Plains Indian tribes (Gilmore 1977:13). Thrown into the face of an enemy to blind them by the Ojibwe (Smith 1932:390). Used to stuff mattresses and quilts by the Ojibwe (Smith 1932:423). The catkins were boiled, dried, and the down stripped off to prepare (Smith 1932:423).
Leaves / stems – made into mats for thatching houses or for sitting by the Mexican Kickapoo (Latorre and Latorre 1977:342), Osage (Munson 1981:239), Ojibwe (Smith 1932:423), Menominee (Smith 1923:79), and Klamath (Coville 1897:90). Used for basketry and mats for sweathouses by the Flathead (Hart 1979:274). Used for matting and bedding (Bean and Saubel 1972:143).
Roots – fibers were soaked in pine pitch for caulking boats by the Menominee (Smith 1923:79).
Notes – pollen was used for ceremonial markings by the Apache (Castetter and Opler 1936:36) and Navajo (Elmore 1944:24).
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