Whilst birding the Talea Valley we came across a large stand of Elephant Grass growing in some apparently permanent water in an area of the valley I had not been to before. This was the area where we found Arabian Tree Frog and was the first time I have seen the plant in Saudi Arabia. Elephant Grass Typha elephantina is a plant species widespread across northern Africa and southern Asia. It is considered native in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Senegal, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Palestine, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Yunnan, Assam, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan and Burma. It grows in freshwater marshes and on the banks of lakes and streams. T. elephantina is regarded as a distinct species, distinguished from other species of the genus by its robust habit, elaborate rhizome system and stiff trigonal leaves.
