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The lesser bulrush is a large aquatic plant found in southern Europe, in North Africa and in many parts of Asia and the American continent.
It is rare in the Maltese islands because the aquatic habitat it requires is very uncommon, but one can see it in valleys behind man-made dams and in artificial ponds and pools.
About 11 species of bulrush can be found around the world, most of them restricted to the Northern Hemisphere.
Only one of them occurs in the Maltese islands.
Bulrushes are aggressive; in some areas they can become the dominant species to the detriment of other plant species. Several species can grow in one area with different species adapted to live at different depths.
In Maltese the lesser bulrush is known as buda. In England, bulrushes are also known as reedmace, while in the US they have several names, including catnail and catninetail.
The plant grows from an underground rhizome. Above ground, it consists of long sword-like leaves.
The flowers are a thin, vertical spike on which male flowers form. Beneath this is a thicker sausage-shaped inflorescence with female flowers. The latter form after the male flowers have shed their pollen, withered and died; this avoids self-fertilisation.
In Turkey and some other countries, the female inflorescence of the lesser bulrush is used to treat wounds. Recent studies have confirmed that these medicinal properties can be effective and are not just folk beliefs.
The bulrush plant can be eaten and has many other uses
The bulrush plant has many uses: it can be eaten, has medicinal properties, and the leaves can be used as insulation for houses and to make decorative paper.
The plants’ rhizomes are rich in starch; they are edible and can be ground into a powder.
Starchy remains of ground bulrush tubers have been found on prehistoric grinding stones suggesting that they have been consumed in Europe as far back as 30,000 years ago.
Other communities eat other parts of the plants. The developing flower-heads can be boiled and eaten like corn on the cob.
The seeds are rich in linoleic acid and are used as cattle and chicken feed.