Typha orientalis, commonly known as bulrush, cumbungi,[1] or raupō, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Typha. It is native to Australia, New Zealand, 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, salt marshes, and slow flowing rivers and streams.
Typha orientalis is a perennial herb which grows up to in height and has a rhizome of up to in diameter. The long, sausage-like flower spikes are between in length.[2]
The species was first described by Carl Borivoj Presl in the Epimeliae Botanicae in 1851.[4]
The species epithet orientalis refers to the species being found in East Asia.[5] The plant's Māori name, raupō, is a word used in different Polynesian languages to describe bulrushes.[5]
The species is found across East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.[6] The plant was introduced to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand by Māori.
Known as raupō in New Zealand,[7] the plant was quite useful to Māori. The rhizomes were cooked and eaten, while the pollen was collected and baked into cakes known as pungapunga.[8] [5] The leaves were used for roofs and walls and occasionally for canoe sails,[9] as well as a material for making kites. Many of the first shelters constructed for European settlers in the 19th century were made from raupō.[5]
