Cattail - Cattail

Japanese: ガマ（蒲） - がま

A perennial plant of the Typhaceae family (APG classification: Typhaceae). It is a large wetland plant that grows in colonies in the mud of freshwater areas such as the edges of ponds and rivers. The rhizome is thick and runs horizontally through the mud, the plant is 1-2 meters tall, and produces one flower spike at the top of the stem. The leaves are linear, grow longer than the stem, are about 2 cm wide, and are thick in texture. The flower spike is cylindrical, and the male and female flowers are continuous, with the male flowers being 7-12 cm long and the female flowers being 12-18 cm long. Male flowers usually have three stamens and several bristly tepals, while female flowers have one pistil and about 20 bristly tepals. Pollen is produced in groups of four. It can produce hybrids with other species, and a hybrid with the Japanese staghorn cattail is called Ainokogama. It is widely distributed from the tropical to temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere and Australia.

The collected fruit is called "howata" (cotton cotton) and was used for making futons and as tinder for flint. The leaves and stems were also used to make blinds and mats, hence the old name "misugusa" (blind grass).

[Takemi Shimizu June 18, 2019]

Cultural history

It is commonly believed that the White Rabbit of Inaba healed its wounds by wrapping its body in cattail flower spikes (the cotton of the fruit), but according to the Kojiki, Okuninushi-no-Mikoto gave the rabbit ho-o. This is cattail pollen, which has a hemostatic effect and is used as a wound medicine, so the Kojiki's interpretation is more reasonable. It is listed as a traditional Chinese medicine in the Shennong Benzao Jing (6th century), and is also mentioned as a burn medicine in the Greek Dioscorides's Drugs (1st century). In Kenya and other places, the underground stems are eaten, and in ancient India, its decoction was used as a medicine for headaches and rheumatism. The cotton fluff is used as stuffing for pillows and mattresses, and the Yami people of Taiwan use it as packing for ship planks.

[Hiroshi Yuasa June 18, 2019]

[Reference] | Kogama

Toad
The male flower part at the tip is connected to the female flower part below it. The male flower part is 7-12cm long, and the female flower part is 12-18cm long. ©Seishohmaru ">

Toad

Typha
The male flower part at the tip is 10-30cm long, and the female flower part below it is 6-20cm long. A 3-6cm long flower stalk is exposed between the male and female flower parts. ©Seishohmaru ">

Typha

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

ガマ科（APG分類：ガマ科）の多年草。大形の湿生植物で、池や川の縁など淡水域の泥地に群生する。根茎は太く、泥中を横走し、草丈は1～2メートル、茎頂に1個の花穂ができる。葉は線形、茎より長く伸び、幅約2センチメートル、質は厚い。花穂は円柱形、雄花部と雌花部は連続し、雄花部は長さ7～12センチメートル、雌花部は長さ12～18センチメートルである。雄花には普通3本の雄しべと数本の剛毛状の花被片(かひへん)、雌花には1本の雌しべと20本ほどの剛毛状の花被片がある。花粉は4個ずつ合生する。他種との雑種をつくることがあり、コガマとの雑種はアイノコガマとよばれる。北半球およびオーストラリアの熱帯から温帯まで広く分布する。

　果穂を集めたものを蒲綿(ほわた)といい、ふとんの綿としたり火打石の火口(ほくち)として使った。また葉や茎から簾(すだれ)や蓆(むしろ)をつくったので御簾草(みすぐさ)の古名がある。

［清水建美　2019年6月18日］

文化史

俗に「因幡(いなば)の白兎(しろうさぎ)」は、その傷ついた体をガマの花穂（果実の綿）でくるまって治したと思われているが、『古事記』によれば、大国主命(おおくにぬしのみこと)が兎に与えたのは蒲黄(ほおう)となっている。これはガマの花粉で、止血作用があり傷薬とされるため、『古事記』のほうが合理的な解釈である。漢方薬として中国の『神農本草経(しんのうほんぞうきょう)』（6世紀）に載り、ギリシアのディオスコリデスの『薬物誌』（1世紀）にもやけどの薬として出ている。ケニアなどでは地下茎を食用にし、古来インドではその煎液(せんえき)を頭痛やリウマチの薬に使った。綿毛は枕(まくら)やマットレスの詰め物にされるほか、台湾のヤミ族では船板のパッキンに利用した。

［湯浅浩史　2019年6月18日］

[参照項目] | コガマ

ガマ

ヒメガマ

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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