Scirpus pallidus
Scirpus flaccidifolius
cloaked bulrush, pale bulrush
reclining bulrush
fertile ones upright or nearly so;
nodes without axillary bulblets.
fertile ones lax, reclining, inflorescences lopping over to (or nearly to) ground;
nodes without axillary bulblets.
5–10 per culm;
sheaths of proximal leaves green or whitish;
proximal sheaths and blades with septa many, conspicuous or not;
blades 20–55 cm × 8–16 mm.
7–11 per culm;
sheaths of proximal leaves light brown or whitish;
proximal sheaths and blades with septa few to many, conspicuous or not;
blades 30–63 cm × 9–14 mm.
terminal, rarely also with 1 lateral inflorescence from distal leaf axil;
rays ascending or divergent (commonly both in same inflorescence), smooth throughout or scabrous at distal end, rays without axillary bulblets;
bases of involucral bracts green or margins brown, not glutinous.
terminal, rarely also with 1 lateral inflorescence from distal leaf axil;
rays ascending or divaricate (usually both in same inflorescence), proximal branches smooth, distal branches smooth or scabrellous, rays often bearing axillary bulblets;
bases of involucral bracts green or margins brown or at least speckled with red-brown, not glutinous.
aggregated in a few dense clusters of 12–130 (largest cluster with 40–50+), spikelets sessile, narrowly ovoid, 4–5 × 1.8–2.3 mm;
scales black or brownish black with pale midribs, elliptic to ovate, 1.6–2.8 mm, ending in terete or flat awn 0.4–0.6(–1.2) mm.
in dense clusters of 3–19 (largest cluster with 12 or more), spikelets sessile, ovoid or broadly ovoid, 3–4 × 2–3 mm;
scales blackish with pale midribs, elliptic or broadly elliptic, 1.3–1.9 mm, apex mucronate, mucro 0.1–0.2 mm.
perianth bristles persistent, 6, rather stout, straight or curved, longest bristles equaling achene, with retrorse, thin-walled, round-tipped teeth in distal 0.3–0.5, enclosed within scales;
styles 3-fid.
perianth bristles persistent, 6, slender, straight or curved, shorter than to slightly exceeding achene, with retrorse, thin-walled, round-tipped barbs in distal 0.2–0.5, enclosed within scales;
styles 3-fid.
pale brown or almost white, oblong-elliptic to elliptic or obovate in outline, plumply trigonous or plano-convex, 0.8–1.2 × 0.4–0.6 mm.
almost white, elliptic or obovate in outline, plano-convex or plumply trigonous, 1–1.2 × 0.4–0.6 mm.
= 56.
= 54.
Scirpus pallidus
Scirpus flaccidifolius
Scirpus pallidus has been confused with S. atrovirens. The awned rather than mucronate scales distinguish S. pallidus from all similar species. The perianth bristles are similar to those of S. atrovirens; the scales of S. pallidus are almost always black, rather than brownish as in S. atrovirens. Inflorescences of S. pallidus consist of relatively few, large glomerules (the largest glomerule in the inflorescence usually has 50 or more spikelets). Some individuals of S. atrovirens may have glomerules with as many as 65 spikelets.
Scirpus pallidus occasionally hybridizes with S. atrovirens.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Scirpus flaccidifolius is the most distinctive member of the S. atrovirens complex. The structure of the inflorescence is similar in all of these species, with a few long, nearly erect rays and many shorter, spreading to reflexed rays. The length of the rays is very variable in S. flaccidifolius, as in related species, but they may be very long in S. flaccidifolius, with the long, erect rays often being 15 cm or more (rarely to 25 cm).
Scirpus flaccidifolius is known from only six populations in its very limited range (less than 100 km across). It is very tolerant of human disturbance and does not seem to be declining.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
BC
OR
WA
Flora NW
KS Wildflowers
MN Wildflowers
MO Plants
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
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