Scirpus acutus Muhl.

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Cyperaceae

• Scientific Name

  Scirpus acutus Muhl.

• Description

  Species Description - Stout, rhizomatous, colonial perennial 1–3 m; stems terete, stout, firm, not easily crushed between the fingers; lvs few, mainly or all toward the base, commonly with prominent, well developed sheath and short, poorly developed blade (or bladeless); principal bract 2–10 cm, ± erect, like a continuation of the stem; subsidiary bracts small and inconspicuous; spikelets ± numerous in a subumbellately branched infl, all or nearly all sessile in small clusters at the ends of the rather stiff and ascending or horizontal branches of the infl, mostly 8–15 mm, dull gray-brown; scales mostly (3–)3.5–4 mm, thin and largely hyaline- scarious, with numerous short, linear, reddish-brown striolae on a pale, gray-white background, the midrib firm, commonly shortly exserted as a contorted fragile awn ca 1 mm; equaling or a bit longer than the achene; achenes 2.2–2.5 mm, ± completely hidden by the scales, bicarpellate and planoconvex, or occasionally some tricarpellate and unequally trigonous; 2n=38, 40, 42. Marshes and muddy shores of lakes and streams, tolerant of alkali; widespread in temp. N. Amer., and throughout our range. Fr June–Aug. (Schoenoplectus a.)

• Common Names

  hardstem-bulrush