totora

plant

Also known as: Scirpus californicus

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

Totora is a type of tule, scientifically known as Scirpus californicus. This plant is found in North and South America, as well as on Easter Island.1

In parts of Latin America, totora stems are utilized for constructing reed mats, rafts, and boats. The basal parts of the plant are consumed as food in the Lake Titicaca region. Totora reeds also grow on the shores of Lake Titicaca and are used for thatching, feeding livestock, and building boats called balsas.12

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Lake Titicaca
…on floating mats of dried totora (a reedlike papyrus that grows in dense brakes in the marshy shallows). From the totora, the Uru and other lake dwellers make their famed balsas—boats fashioned of bundles of dried reeds lashed together that resemble the crescent-shaped papyrus craft pictured on ancient Egyptian monuments.
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…on floating mats of dried totora (a reedlike papyrus that grows in dense brakes in the marshy shallows). From the totora, the Uru and other lake dwellers make their famed balsas—boats fashioned of bundles of dried reeds lashed together that resemble the crescent-shaped papyrus craft pictured on ancient Egyptian monuments.
Read More