Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Scirpus polyphyllus
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Leafy Bulrush at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Scirpus polyphyllus
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 23 (2002)
Scirpus polyphyllus
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-08-014:
Scirpus polyphyllus FAMILY Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Scirpus polyphyllus
COMMON NAME:
Leafy Bulrush
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_scpo2_001_lvd
)
JK Marlow jkm230428_2827
April Greenville County SC
Mountain Bridge Wilderness
)
JK Marlow jkm120617_973
June Spartanburg County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm200625_6061
June Transylvania County NC
DuPont State Forest
Leaves primarily cauline, more than 10 per culm, to 2dm long, 4-9mm wide, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm200625_6192
June Transylvania County NC
DuPont State Forest
)
JK Marlow jkm200625_6239
June Transylvania County NC
DuPont State Forest
The stems are 3-4 feet tall and have 14-22 leaves, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
)
Glen Peterson gkp9254_foliaceousbracts
July Spartanburg County SC
Involucre of several foliaceous bracts, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Glen Peterson gkp9261_bladenotseptate
July Spartanburg County SC
)
Glen Peterson gkp9263_sheathpurplespots
July Spartanburg County SC
The ventral surface of the sheath is purple-spotted, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Glen Peterson gkp9265_youngtop
July Spartanburg County SC
)
Glen Peterson gkp9267_scirpolspike
July Spartanburg County SC
Spikelets ovoid, 3-4mm long, 2-3mm broad, sessile, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm170818_653
August Jackson County NC
Big Ridge Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm210807_2512
August Transylvania County NC
DuPont State Forest
Inflorescence branched. Spikelets in umbellate clusters or heads, sessile, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm0509k_36
September Transylvania County NC
Silver Run Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm220906_9738
September Greenville County SC
Bald Rock Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm220909_9808
September Transylvania County NC
DuPont State Forest
)
JK Marlow jkm220909_9810
September Transylvania County NC
DuPont State Forest
)
JK Marlow jkm230927_5619
September Pickens County SC
Laurel Fork Heritage Preserve
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Scirpus polyphyllus
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Scirpus polyphyllus
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 23
Scirpus polyphyllus
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-08-014:
Scirpus polyphyllus
FAMILY
Cyperaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Scirpus polyphyllus
2027
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Habitat: marshes, floodplain forests, mountain bogs, seeps, fens, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common in Mountains & NC Piedmont, uncommon in Piedmont of GA & SC
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
LEAVES:
Simple
Mostly alternate, 14-26 per culm
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Superior ovary
Bisexual
Spikelets in umbellate clusters or heads
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Yellowish
Nutlet
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".