Etymology
- Scirpus is Latin for bulrush, and lacustris refers to its normally lacustrine habitat.

Botany
Tiker is an aquatic herb with horizontal rhizomes. Stems are stout, 45 to 120 centimeters tall, often standing in water. Leaves vary greatly in size, some being hardly discernible, others growing to 10 centimeters or, when floating, reaching a length of 30 to 60 centimeters. Umbels are usually once or twice divided, 10 to 15 centimeters in diameter, and sometimes reduced almost to a small head. Spikelets are clustered and solitary, 10 to 12 millimeters long. Glumes are ovate. Bristles are as long as the nut or reduced. Nuts are obovoid, smooth and black.

Distribution
- In fresh-water swamps, from sea level to 1,300 meters altitude in Luzon (Cagayan, Zambales, Benguet).
- Can grow in water one foot deep.
- Also found in most warm countries except Malaya and South America.

Constituents
- Study evaluated root flavonoids of five Scirpus species, including S. lacustris. All tested species showed flavonoid compounds in their roots, with flavonoid sulphate, flavone C and C-/O-glycosides and aglycones. S. lacustris showed the highest number of total flavonoid compounds. Kaempferol was found only in S. lacustris and S. littoralis species. (5)
- Study isolated 49 secondary metabolites from aqueous and alcoholic extracts of aquatic plants Schoenoplectus lacustris. Eleven free and glycosylated low-molecular polyphenols, 17 cinnamic acid and dihydrocinnamic acid derivatives, 11 flavonoids, and 10 C13 nor-isoprenoids were identified. (see study below) (6)
- Study investigated the carbohydrate and protein content of rhizomes. (see study below) (7)

Properties
- Astringent, diuretic.
- Studies have shown antibacterial and bioremediative properties.

Parts used
Rhizome.

Uses
Edibility
- Roots and young shoots, raw or cooked.
- Raw buds of rhizomes are sweet and crisp.
- Seeds are ground and mixed with flour for making cakes.
Folkloric
- Rhizome used as astringent and diuretic.
Others
- Papermaking / Crafts: Pith of stems used in paper making. Stems used for making matting, chair bottoms, thatching.
- Floats of reed: In the long past, floats of reed used as swimming aid. Children used to learn how to swim using floats made of this material. (4)

Studies
• Antibacterial: Scirpus lacustris was one of five medicinal plants in a study of 10 herbs that showed significant antibacterial activity against Nocardia asteroides and N. brasiliensis. Potency of strong antibacterial activity of the methanol extracts was attributed to properties of flavonoids, saponins, and tannins. (1)
• Bioremediation of Chromium: Study evaluated the potential of three plants viz., Scirpus lacustris, Phragmites karka, and Bacopa monnieri to accumulate chromium under laboratory conditions. Results showed the plants have the ability to accumulate substantial amounts of chromium. When plants were grown in tannery effluent and sludge, they caused significant reduction in chromium concentrations. (3)
• Phytotoxic Effects on Green Algae: Study of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of aquatic plant S. lacustris isolated 49 secondary metabolites. All compounds were tested on green alga Selenastrum capricornutum, a unicellular organism used in tests of toxicity as a bioindicator of eutrophic sites. The most active compound was (--)-catechin, with inhibition similar to algaecide CuSO4. (see constituents above) (6)
• Carbohydrate and Protein Metabolism in Rhizomes: The most important reserve substance in the rhizome is starch, which accounts for 15% of fresh weight in winter. Sucrose content of rhizomes reaches as high as 30 mg/g fresh weight in winter. Reducing sugars glucose, fructose, and maltose reach maximum values during the summer months (up to 5 mg/g for glucose and fructose). Protein content was found highest in winter, with values of about 10 mg/g fresh weight. (7)

Availability
Wild-crafted.

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Evaluation of antibacterial properties and review of 10 medicinal herbs on preventing the growth of pathogenic Nocardia species / Eshraghi, S.; Amin, G.; Othari, A. / Journal of Medicinal Plants, 2009; Vol 8, No 32: pp 60-78
(2)
Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) Palla / Synonyms / The Plant List
(3)
Bioremediation of Chromium from Water and Soil by Vascular Aquatic Plants / P. Chandra , S. Sinha , and U. N. Rai / Phytoremediation of Soil and Water Contaminants, Chapter 20, pp 274–282 / Chapter DOI: 10.1021/bk-1997-0664.ch020
(4)
Schoenoplectus lacustris / Ethnobiology / Edited by E. N. Anderson, Deboral Pearsall et al / Wiley Publishers
(5)
Root Flavonoids of Some Iranian Scirpus L. (Cyperaceae) Members. / Noori Mitra, Dehshiri Mohamed-Mehdi and Mehrdost Negar / International Journal of Botany, 2012; 8: pp 165-169 / DOI: 10.3923/ijb.2012.165.169 
(6)
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF THE AQUATIC PLANT Schoenoplectus lacustris: EVALUATION OF PHYTOTOXIC EFFECTS ON THE GREEN ALGA Selenastrum capricornutum / Brigida D' Abrosca, Marina Dellagreca, Antonio Fiorentino, Marina Isidori, Pietro Monaco, and Severina Pacifico / Journal of Chemical Ecology, January 2006; Vol 32, No. 1 / DOI: 10.1007/s10886-006-9354-y
(7)
Carbohydrate and protein metabolism in the rhizomes of the bulrush (Schoenoplectus lacustris (L.) palla in relation to natural development of the whole plant / Fritz Steinmann, Roland Bränle / Aquatic Botany, August 1884; Vol 19, Issues 1-2: pp 53-63 / https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3770(84)90007-X