Lignified and nonlignified fiber cables in the lacunae of Typha angustifolia.

The leaves of Typha are noteworthy in terms of their mechanical properties. We determined the mechanical properties of the fiber cables within the leaf. We found that in vegetative plants, the lignified fiber cables isolated from the leaf sheath and nonlignified fiber cables isolated from the leaf blade of Typha angustifolia differ in their diameter, swelling capacity, Young's modulus, tensile strength, and break load. These differing properties are related to their contributions to stability in the two regions of the leaf.