Eleocharis rostellata (Torr.) Torr.
beaked spike-rush (beaked spikerush)
Cyperaceae (Sedge family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
beaked spike-rush (beaked spikerush)
Cyperaceae (Sedge family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from short, stout, often ascending or nearly vertical rhizomes; stems clustered, more or less flattened, at least near the tops, some of them elongating, arching, then rooting from apical bulbils, (2) 40-100 cm tall.
Leaves:
Blades lacking.
Flowers:
Spikes solitary, terminal, spindle-shaped, (5) 8-13 mm long, (5) 10- to 20- (25-) flowered.
Fruits:
Scales firm, egg-shaped, blunt, or the upper sharp-pointed, with translucent margins, equalling or surpassing the achenes; perianth bristles about equalling the achenes, with sharp teeth directed backwards; stigmas 3; achenes egg-shaped, rounded and 3-angled to plano-convex, light greenish to medium brown, smooth and shining or slightly cellular roughened, 1.9-2.8 mm long including the prominent, pale, nosecone-like tubercles, which are up to 0.75 mm long and do not form distinct apical caps on the achenes.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Flower Colour:
Green
Blooming Period:
Late Spring
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall
Source: The USDA
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Eleocharis rostellata
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
1011 | 630 | 1928 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
0 | 0 | 1 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
0 | ||
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
7 | 7 | 8 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
D | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
7 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
ICH | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
ESSF(2), ICH(4), IDF(1) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Salt marshes, hot springs and alkaline or saline ponds in the lowland and steppe zones; rare in S BC; disjunct E to ON and NS and S to MA, NJ, FL, TX, NM, AZ and CA; S America.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Eleocharis rostellata var. congdonii Jeps.
Eleocharis rostellata var. occidentalis S. Watson
Scirpus rostellatus Torr.