Whilst birding the Talea Valley we came across a large stand of Elephant Grass Typha elephantina growing in some apparently permanent water. Elephant Grass 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.
