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Glite Dictionary
genus Typha

genus Typha

8.6
Plants that grow tall in marshes and have long brown seed heads called cattails
  • noun
  • /ˈdʒɛnəs ˈtaɪfə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : género Typha
  • The distinctive cylindrical brown seed head is a key feature of plants in the genus Typha.

Examples

  • The genus Typha is commonly found in wetlands throughout North America and Europe.

  • The genus Typha includes several species of cattails.

  • Several species within the genus Typha are vital for supporting wildlife habitats.

  • Many wetlands are dominated by genus Typha plants.

  • The genus Typha includes several species that play a critical role in wetland ecosystems.

  • You can identify plants from the genus Typha by their tall, reed-like structures and distinctive flower spikes.

  • In many areas, the genus Typha provides essential habitat for birds and other wildlife.

Synonyms

Typha
vsgenus Typha
  • Specialized
1 9.2

A tall marsh plant with a long brown flower spike like a cattail

has identical meaning but is the more formal scientific name

Surface Forms

genus Typha singular
genera Typha plural

Morphology

genus + Typha

The phrase is fully compositional: 'genus' denotes a biological rank and 'Typha' is the name of the plant group, so together they straightforwardly mean the taxonomic group of those cattail plants. This genus+name pattern is a standard, cross-linguistic naming convention in biology, so a learner who knows both constituents can reliably infer the meaning.

Etymology

Genus Typha is the scientific name for tall, reed-like wetland plants often called 'cattails' because their long brown flower heads look like a cat's tail. That's why the name refers to the familiar reed plants you see at the edges of ponds and marshes.