SCHOENOPLECTUS TORREYI (Olney) Palla
Torrey's Bulrush
FAMILY: Cyperaceae
SYNONYMS: Scirpus subterminalis Torrey subsp. subterminalis
var. cylindricus (Torrey) T. Koyama.
HABIT: Herbaceous perennial from a short rhizome; fertile culms
0.4-1.5 m.; fruiting July-September.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Non-flowering plants are very similar to
several other types of submersed or emergent aquatics, and particularly to Scirpus
pungens and S. subterminalis. Schuyler (1972) discusses these problems
in identification and provides helpful illustrations.
TOTAL RANGE: N.B. to Man. s. to VA, KY, IL, MO, and SD; see
map in Stuckey (1983).
STATE RANGE: ERIE CO.: Sandusky, 189-, E.L. Moseley
(OS). LAKE CO.: Painesville, 1871, H.C. Beardslee (OC, 2 sheets); near
Painesville, 11 Aug. 1889, W.C. Werner (OC, 2 sheets); Painesville,
189-, H.C. Beardslee (OS). OTTAWA CO.: East Harbor near Lockwood's, 15
Aug. 1896, E.L. Moseley (BGSU).
STATE STATUS: 1980 to present: Presumed Extirpated.
HABITAT: Lake margins, beach pools, peaty shores; more
terrestrial in habitat than the closely related S. subterminalis.
HAZARDS: Sudden changes in water level; shoreline
disturbance.
RECOVERY POTENTIAL: Unknown, but probably poor.
INVENTORY GUIDELINES: Collect complete mature specimens.
COMMENTS: This species may easily be misidentified
or, when not in flower, overlooked. It should be sought throughout northern
Ohio.
Koyama
(1962) interprets this species as a part of a larger complex including S.
subterminalis. Most authors, however, retain the species rank for this
taxon.
SELECTED REFERENCES:
Koyama, T. 1962. The genus Scirpus Linn.: some North
American aphylloid species. Canad. J. Bot. 40: 913-937.
Schuyler, A.E. 1972. Morphological and anatomical differences
in leaf blades of three North American aquatic bulrushes (Cyperaceae: Scirpus).
Bartonia 41: 57-60.
Schuyler, A.E. 1976. Chromosome numbers of some eastern
North American species of Scirpus. Bartonia 44: 27-31.
Stuckey, R.L. 1983. Absence of certain aquatic plants from
the prairie peninsula. In: Brewer, R. (ed.). Proceedings of the Eighth
North American Prairie Conference. Western Michigan Univ., Kalamazoo, MI.
97-103.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Division of Natural Areas and Preserves
Created: 3/1985 Allison W. Cusick