The name is taken from the Cat Tail family, the Typhaceae, which they somewhat resemble in miniature.    From Wordnik.com.  [Among the Mushrooms A Guide For Beginners] Reference

Vascular Plants of the Hengduan Mountains, Vol. 2: Dicotyledoneae (Diapensiacea to Asteraceae) to Monocotyledoneae (Typhaceae to Orchidaceae).    From Wordnik.com.  [Biological diversity in the mountains of Southwest China] Reference