Hogla

'Hogla' local name for a bush-like small plant, Typha elephantiana of family Typhaceae, frequently seen in the sundarbans along the banks of rivers and canals. The plants look like grasses and may attain heights from two to five meters. The leaf blades are flattened and composed of aerenchymatous spongy tissue. The plant produces huge quantity of pollens. These grasses have fibrous root systems. The plant grows in plenty in the Sundarbans forest as well as in other low lying areas of Sylhet, in beels and haors. Hogla grass is extensively used to make mats. Baskets, ropes and different kind of handicrafts are also made out of the dried materials. [Abul Khair] [Khair, Abul Professor of Botany, Jahangirnagar University]