Copy permalink to share

Eleocharis palustris (Linnaeus) Roemer & J.A. Schultes. Subgenus: Eleocharis. Section: Eleocharis. Series: Eleocharis. Common name: Common Spikerush, Small's Spikerush. Phenology: Jun-Sep. Habitat: Marshes. Distribution: NL (Labrador) west to AK, south to FL, TX, CA, and Mexico; Eurasia.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: As discussed by Smith et al. in FNA (2002b), this taxon is variable in some geographically correlated ways and some recognition of varieties or segregate species is probably warranted. E. smallii is sometimes separated as the eastern North American member of the north temperate E. palustris complex, although Smith also discusses a "Variant b", which is similar to E. smallii, but has culms only 0.5-1.2 mm wide (vs. 1-3 mm wide), distal leaf sheaths persistent (vs. sometimes disintegrating in E. smallii), and sheath summits usually brightly red-margined and markedly oblique when viewed from the side. Variant b is apparently most common in the Southeast, e.g. in Louisiana and Arkansas, whereas E. smallii is believed to extend southward to NC, KY, and MO, and is otherwise seemingly northeastern in its distribution. Additional and closer study is needed.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Can, ETx1, FNA23, G, Il, Mex, Mi, Mo1, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, Tn, Va; < Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult. — C, K4, NcTx, RAB; > Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult. ssp. palustris — NE; > Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult. ssp. vigens (L.H.Bailey) A.Haines — NE; > Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult. var. major Sond. — F; > Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult. var. palustris — F; > Eleocharis smallii Britton — F, GrPl, Tat, WV; > Eleocharis xyridiformis Fernald & Brackett — GrPl. Basionym: Scirpus palustris L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Eleocharis palustris - FNA23

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)

Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Great Plains: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Midwest: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 9

Your browser does not support SVGs

Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.

image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Aidan Campos source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

Feedback

See something missing or incorrect about Eleocharis palustris? Let us know here:

  1. Please include your name and if possible, email in case when need to clarify what you wrote.
  2. If you opt out of including email, please be as specific as possible (e.g., which photo is incorrect?)
  3. Please do not submit questions asking to identify plants or about horticultural topics (e.g., how do I control an invasive plant in my garden?). Instead, those questions can be submitted here for the Carolinas region only.
  4. Please do not send us feedback about unkeyed species as this work is ongoing.
  5. Please allow time for flora edits to show in our next data release. We greatly appreciate your feedback but may require extra time to research complicated taxonomic issues.

Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro:

Stems:

Leaves:

Inforescence:

Flowers:

Fruits:

Comments:

Height:

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description:

stems:

leaves:

inflorescence:

flowers:

fruits:

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



0 unsaved edits on this page.