Eleocharis ovata |
Eleocharis melanocarpa |
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ovate spike-rush, ovoid spike-rush, ovoid spikesedge, éléocharide ovale |
black-fruit spike-rush, black-fruit spikesedge |
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Culms | 2–35 cm × 0.3–1 mm. |
to 2 times wider than thick, 35–60(–70) cm × 0.5–1.3 mm, hard, usually with to 10 blunt ribs, at 20X often finely ridged and minutely granular. |
Leaves | apex of distal leaf sheath obtuse to acute, tooth to 0.2 mm. |
distal leaf sheaths brown to reddish. |
Spikelets | ovoid, 2–8 × 2–4 mm, apex acute (to blunt); floral scales 25–100+, ca. 10 per mm of rachilla, orange-brown, rarely stramineous, ovate, 1.5–2 × 1 mm, midribs often keeled in distal part of spikelet, apex rounded to subacute. |
3–12 × 3–4 mm; proximal scale amplexicaulous, 3.5–4 mm, midrib region very broad and fleshy, apex entire; subproximal scale with a flower; floral scales 30–40, 8–10 per mm of rachilla, orange-brown to stramineous, midrib region stramineous, broadly ovate, papery or sometimes membranous, 3–4 × 2 mm, apex entire, rounded. |
Flowers | perianth bristles present, rarely absent, (5–)6–7, brown, fairly slender, exceeding tubercle; stamens 2(–3); anthers brown, 0.3 mm; styles 2-fid or some 3-fid. |
perianth bristles present, sometimes rudimentary, brown, length variable, obscurely retrorsely spinulose; anthers brown, 1.7–2.2 mm. |
Achenes | 0.75–1 × 0.6–0.85 mm. |
subdeltoid in outline, sometimes broadly obpyriform, equilaterally trigonous, angles prominent, 0.9–1.2 × 0.7–1.1 mm, apex truncate. |
Tubercles | deltoid, 0.3–0.5 × 0.3–0.5 mm, 3/5 of to as high as wide, 1/3–2/3 as high and 1/2–3/4 as wide as achene. |
sessile, depressed-pyramidal, often apiculate, as wide as achene, 0.3–0.5 × 0.7–1.1 mm. |
2n | = 10. |
|
Eleocharis ovata |
Eleocharis melanocarpa |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–fall. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Fresh, often drying shores, lake and stream beds, bogs, tidal estuaries, disturbed places | Fresh, oligotrophic, acid, sandy or peaty, often drying shores, ponds, ditches |
Elevation | 10–700 m (East), 1500–2000 m (Arizona) (0–2300 ft (East), 4900–6600 ft (Arizona)) | 10–300 m (0–1000 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; CT; IA; IL; IN; KY; MA; ME; MI; MN; MO; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; AB; BC; NB; NL; NS; ON; PE; QC; Eurasia
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AL; FL; GA; IN; MA; MI; NC; NY; RI; SC; TX; VA
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Discussion | Although Eleocharis ovata has often been confused with E. obtusa, B. M. H. Larson and P. M. Catling (1996) showed that these species may be distinguished by non-overlapping widths of the tubercles, at least in Canada. The records of E. ovata in New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island are based on B. M. H. Larson and P. M. Catling (1996) and the records in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington are based on D. M. Hines (1975). Eleocharis ovata probably also occurs in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Eleocharis melanocarpa is reported from Rhode Island; I have not seen a voucher specimen. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 103. | FNA vol. 23, p. 89. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Eleocharis > subg. Eleocharis > sect. Eleogenus > ser. Ovatae | Cyperaceae > Eleocharis > subg. Eleocharis > sect. Eleocharis > ser. Melanocarpae |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Scirpus ovatus, E. obtusa var. ovata, E. ovata var. heuseri | |
Name authority | (Roth) Roemer & Schultes: in J. J. Roemer et al., Syst. Veg. 2: 152. (1817) | Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 3: 311. (1836) |
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