Sparganium fluctuans (Engelm. ex Morong) B.L. Rob.
water bur-reed (floating bur-reed)
Sparganiaceae (Bur-reed family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Ryan Batten     (Photo ID #66807)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Sparganium fluctuans
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial, aquatic herb from long rhizomes; stems usually submerged, 80-150 cm tall.
Leaves:
Alternate, limp, unkeeled, usually floating, linear, ribbon-like, 60-100 cm long, 3-11 mm wide.
Flowers:
Inflorescence branched, of 2 to 4 female heads below and 1 to 6 male heads above, the heads globe-shaped, unstalked, the female heads 1.5-2.3 cm wide, axillary and subtended by conspicuous leaflike bracts; perianth segments 6, spoonlike, often with a dark spot at the tips, attached near the base of the flower stalk; stigma 1; anthers about 0.4-0.8 mm long.
Fruits:
Achenes, 2-5 mm long, unstalked, more or less constricted at the middle, beaked, the beaks 2-3.5 mm long, curved; seeds 1.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Sparganium fluctuans

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)
Slope Gradient (%)

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

0
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
1
Modal BEC Zone Class
CWH

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

CWH(1)

Habitat and Range

Ponds, lakeshores and slow-moving streams in the lowland and montane zones; rare in BC south of 55 degrees N; circumpolar, E disjunctly to NF and S to ME, MA, PA, MI, WI, MN, ID and WA; Eurasia.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Sparganium androcladum var. fluctuans Engelm. ex Morong