Cat-Tail

a plant of the swamps. A cluster of long, upright, sword-like leaves springs from the root. Two kinds of inconspicuous flowers are borne on a single tall stem at the height of a man's head. The fruit develops into a heavy, seal brown, cylindrical spike an inch or two in diameter. In pioneer days the cottony fruit was sometimes stripped from the stem and used in a tick as a substitute for feathers. In India elephants are fond of feeding on the cat-tail. The underground portion of the plant is starchy and is used in some countries for food. The cat-tail, with its long, graceful leaves and decorative cylinder of fruit, is a favorite plant with artists.