OregonFlora: Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani

	Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani
	soft-stem bulrush, tule
Rhizomes	3–10 mm thick.
Culms	cylindric, 50–300 cm × 2–10 mm.
Leaf blades	C-shaped to dorsiventrally flat in cross section, usually much shorter than sheath; distal blade 2–200 × 1–4 mm; margins often scabridulous.
Inflorescences	proximal bract usually erect, thickly C-shaped to subterete, 1–8 cm.
Spikes	15–200; solitary or less often in clusters of 2–4(7); clusters on branches to 15(25) cm long; spikes 3–17 × 2.5–4 mm; floral scales ovate, 2–3.5 × 1.5–2 mm, uniformly dark to pale orange-brown, sometimes straw-colored, sometimes with prominent linear dots; midrib often pale or green, sparsely (rarely densely) reddish or straw-colored scabrous on awn and distal parts of midrib and sometimes flanks; margins ciliate; hairs contorted; apex obtuse to rounded; notch 0.2–0.3 mm deep; awn straight or bent, 0.2–0.8 mm.
Flowers	perianth bristles 6; more or less equaling achene, densely retrorsely spinulose, brown; stigmas 2, sometimes 3 near spike apex.
Achenes	plano-convex, 1.5–2.8 × 1.2–1.7 mm; beak 0.2–0.4 mm.
2n	=42.

	Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani
Distribution	[WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Discussion	Freshwater to brackish marshes, bogs, lakes, stream banks, and disturbed wetlands, often emergent in shallow water. 0–1600 m. Throughout Oregon. CA, ID, NV, WA; throughout North America; southern South America; Africa, Australia, Eurasia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands. Native. Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani is a cosmopolitan, variable taxon. North American populations have sometimes been treated as S. validus. Schoenoplectus acutus, also common in Oregon, is very similar. Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani hybridizes with S. acutus, S. californicus* S. glaucus, S. heterochaetus,* and S. triqueter. Hybrids tend to be fertile. Yellow-striped forms of S. tabernaemontani are cultivated as ornamentals.
Source	Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 252 Barbara Wilson, Richard Brainerd, Nick Otting
Sibling taxa	S. acutus, S. americanus, S. californicus, S. heterochaetus, S. mucronatus, S. pungens, S. saximontanus, S. subterminalis, S. triqueter
Synonyms	Scirpus tabernaemontani, Scirpus validus, Scirpus validus var. creber, Scirpus validus var. validus
Web links	Local floras: BC, CA, OR, WA Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos, Flora NW, PNW Herbaria WildflowerSearch iNaturalist (observations) USDA Plants Database LBJ Wildflower Center SEINet Plants of the World Online Encyclopedia of Life Wikipedia Google Image Search

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani

soft-stem bulrush, tule

Rhizomes

3–10 mm thick.

Culms

cylindric, 50–300 cm × 2–10 mm.

Leaf blades

C-shaped to dorsiventrally flat in cross section, usually much shorter than sheath;

distal blade 2–200 × 1–4 mm;

margins often scabridulous.

Inflorescences

proximal bract usually erect, thickly C-shaped to subterete, 1–8 cm.

Spikes

15–200; solitary or less often in clusters of 2–4(7); clusters on branches to 15(25) cm long;

spikes 3–17 × 2.5–4 mm; floral scales ovate, 2–3.5 × 1.5–2 mm, uniformly dark to pale orange-brown, sometimes straw-colored, sometimes with prominent linear dots;

midrib often pale or green, sparsely (rarely densely) reddish or straw-colored scabrous on awn and distal parts of midrib and sometimes flanks;

margins ciliate;

hairs contorted;

apex obtuse to rounded; notch 0.2–0.3 mm deep; awn straight or bent, 0.2–0.8 mm.

Flowers

perianth bristles 6; more or less equaling achene, densely retrorsely spinulose, brown;

stigmas 2, sometimes 3 near spike apex.

Achenes

plano-convex, 1.5–2.8 × 1.2–1.7 mm;

beak 0.2–0.4 mm.

=42.

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani

Distribution

[WildflowerSearch map]

[BONAP county map]

Discussion

Freshwater to brackish marshes, bogs, lakes, stream banks, and disturbed wetlands, often emergent in shallow water. 0–1600 m. Throughout Oregon. CA, ID, NV, WA; throughout North America; southern South America; Africa, Australia, Eurasia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands. Native.

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani is a cosmopolitan, variable taxon. North American populations have sometimes been treated as S. validus. Schoenoplectus acutus, also common in Oregon, is very similar. Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani hybridizes with S. acutus, S. californicus S. glaucus, S. heterochaetus, and S. triqueter. Hybrids tend to be fertile. Yellow-striped forms of S. tabernaemontani are cultivated as ornamentals.