Eleocharis palustris (Linnaeus) Roemer & J.A. Schultes. Subgenus: Eleocharis. Section: Eleocharis. Series: Eleocharis. Common Spikerush, Small's Spikerush. Phen: Jun-Sep. Hab: Marshes. Dist: 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. Closer study is needed.

Synonymy: = Ar, ETx1, FNA23, G, Il, K1, Mex, Mi, Mo1, NY, Pa, Tn, Va; < Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult. – C, K3, 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 – GrPl

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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