reed mace

2 definitions found

reed mace - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  cattail \cat"tail\, Cat-tail \Cat"-tail\(k[a^]t"t[=a]l), n.
     (Bot.)
     A tall erect rush or flag (Typha latifolia) growing widely
     in fresh and salt marshes, with long, flat, sword-shaped
     leaves, having clusters of small brown flowers in a dense
     cylindrical spike at the top of the stem; -- called also
     bulrush and reed mace. The leaves are frequently used for
     seating chairs, making mats, etc. See Catkin.
     [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
  
     Note: The lesser cat-tail is Typha angustifolia.
           [1913 Webster]

reed mace - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  reed mace
      n 1: tall marsh plant with cylindrical seed heads that explode
           when mature shedding large quantities of down; its long
           flat leaves are used for making mats and chair seats; of
           North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa [syn:
           cat's-tail, bullrush, bulrush, nailrod, reed mace
           , reedmace, Typha latifolia]