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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Slender Cotton-grass
Eriophorum gracile W. Koch

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Sedge (Cyperaceae)
Flowering: July-August
Field Marks: This cotton-grass differs from others by its channeled, triangular leaves and several spikelets on each stem.
Habitat: Bogs.
Habit: Perennial herb with thickened rootstocks.
Stems: Upright or sometimes bent over, unbranched, up to 1 3/4 feet tall, smooth, not triangular.
Leaves: Very narrow, elongated, alternate, triangular, channeled, up to 1 1/2 inches long, smooth, the basal leaves usually absent at flowering time.
Flowers: Crowded together into 2-4 terminal spikelets, each spikelet up to 1 inch long, on a hairy stalk; all spikelets subtended by a bract up to 1/2 inch long; scales ovate, gray to black, pointed at the tip.
Sepals: 0.
Petals: 0.
Stamens: Usually 3.
Pistils: Ovary superior; styles 3-parted.
Fruits: Achenes triangular, obovoid to oblongoid, about 1/10 inch long, subtended by bright white bristles up to 1 inch long.
Notes: The achenes, which are wind dispersed because of the bright white bristles, are eaten by waterfowl.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/3/eriograc.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:24:46 EST
Reston, VA [vaww55]