Competitive Relations of Purple Loosestrife and Cattail. (Botany & Plant Ecology).Competitive Relations of Purple Loosestrife loosestrife, common name for the Lythraceae, a widely distributed family of plants most abundant as woody shrubs in the American tropics but including also herbaceous species (chiefly of temperate zones) and some trees. and Cattail cattail or reed mace, any plant of the genus Typha, perennial herbs found in almost all open marshes. The cattail (also called club rush) has long narrow leaves, sometimes used for weaving chair seats, and a single tall stem bearing two . Gregory M. Zimmerman and Carolyn Rajewski, Lake Superior State University, Biology Department, Sault Sainte Marie Sault Sainte Marie, city, Canada Sault Sainte Marie (s  sānt mərē`), city (1991 pop. 81,476), S Ont., Canada, on the St. Marys River opposite Sault Ste Marie, Mich. , MI 49783
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is an invasive plant of wetlands that has the potential to reduce habitat quality by displacing native plants. As part of a larger purple loosestrife control study, we examined growth of purple loosestrife and cattail (Typha latifolia) growth in a greenhouse replacement series trial under two fertilization rates. Purple loosestrife and cattail were collected from local populations and grown in pots of sand with 0 and 60 ppm additions of complete fertilizer. After 6 weeks, plants were harvested, roots and shoots were weighed, and leaf area was measured. Cattail grew more slowly in the presence of purple loosestrife but the effect was decreased with increased nutrient availability. Both species showed similar responses of specific leaf weight (leaf weight/leaf area) and root:shoot suggesting that both species are able to capitalize similarly on increased nutrient availability. |
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