Western Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Eleocharis pauciflora (Lightf.) Link
- Family: Sedge (Cyperaceae)
- Flowering: June-August
- Field Marks: This spikerush is distinguished by its slender nearly thread-like stems bearing a small spikelet with no more than 9 flowers. The distinct beak on the achene is continuous with the body of the achene and about 1/4 as long.
- Habitat: Bogs, fens, wet meadows, sometimes above timberline, sometimes in salty or alkaline habitats.
- Habit: Dwarf perennial herb with short and thick as well as longer and more slender rhizomes.
- Stems: Upright, very slender, angular, up to 18 inches long, smooth.
- Leaves: 0.
- Flowers: Borne in a solitary terminal spikelet; spikelet narrowly ovoid, pointed at the tip, up to 1/3 inch long, with up to 9 flowers.
- Scales: Ovate, pointed at the tip, up to 1/4 inch long, brown with pale margins.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 3.
- Pistils: Ovary superior: stigmas 3.
- Fruits: Achenes triangular, up to 1/8 inch long, abruptly tapering to a continuous short beak about 1/4 the length of the body of the achene, without hairs.
Previous Species -- Creeping Spikerush (Eleocharis macrostachya)
Return to Species List -- Group 3
Next Species -- Beaked Spikerush (Eleocharis rostellata)
