SPARGANIUM
ANDROCLADUM (Engelm.) Morong
Keeled Bur-reed
FAMILY: Sparganiaceae
HABIT: Submersed or emersed perennial herb to 10 dm.;
flowering June-August; fruiting August, September.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Sparganium androcladum is very similar
to, and often confused with, Sparganium americanum, which is more common
in Ohio. S. androcladum has lustrous, pale brown or straw-colored
achenes, whereas S. americanum has dull, sordid brown achenes.
TOTAL RANGE: Que. to MN, s. to s. VA, e. KY, OH, IL, MO, and
OK.
STATE RANGE: Scattered throughout Ohio. Post-1960
specimens exist from 3 counties: Brown, Lorain, and Perry. There are also
pre-1960 collections from 9 counties: Ashland, Clark, Erie, Geauga, Hocking,
Jackson, Lake, Licking, and Summit.
STATE STATUS: 1980-1983: Threatened, 1984-1989: Endangered,
1990-1991: Threatened, 1992-1993: Endangered, 1994-1995: Threatened, 1996 to
present: Potentially Threatened.
HABITAT: A variety of wet, open to semi-open situations:
muddy or peaty shores, swamps, marshes, or shallow water.
HAZARDS: Drainage or other alteration of the wetland
habitat; overshading by taller species as a result of succession.
RECOVERY POTENTIAL: Presumed good due to its variety of
habitat.
INVENTORY GUIDELINES: Mature fruiting material is needed for
positive identification.
COMMENTS: The scattered distribution throughout the state of
S. androcladum suggests that it may occur in many other counties. It
probably has been overlooked due to its similarity to the common S.
americanum and the difficulty of collecting it in its wetland habitat.
SELECTED REFERENCES:
Beal, E.O. 1960. Sparganium (Sparganiaceae) in the
southeastern United States. Brittonia 12: 176-181.
Braun,
E.L. 1967. The Monocotyledoneae [of Ohio]: Cat-tails to orchids. The Ohio State
Univ. Press, Columbus OH. 464 pp.
Crow, G.E. and C.B. Hellquist. 1981. Aquatic vascular plants
of New England: Part 2. Typhaceae and Sparganiaceae. New Hampshire Agr. Exp.
Sta. Bull. 517. 21 p.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+.
Flora of North America North of Mexico. 4+ vols. New York and Oxford. (The Sparganiaceae
is treated in Volume 22.)
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Division of Natural Areas and Preserves
Created: 11/1983 James F. Burns
Database Code: SPGB.A70