Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Eleocharis compressa
Flat-stemmed spike rush
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Eleocharis elliptica compressa, Eleocharis compressa var. acutisquamata, Eleocharis compressa var. compressa, Eleocharis elliptica var. compressa, Eleocharis elliptica var compressa

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots: adventitious, rhizomes

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; awl-shaped leaf shape

Inflorescence: head

Flowers: perfect; 3 merous; incomplete, not petals, not sepals; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: achene

Physiology: autotrophic

Reproduction: vegetative

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is distributed along ditches, shores, rivers, and depressions; infrequent in prairies, and openings in upland woods. In Missouri, characteristic on calcareous exposures and sandy or peaty soils.

ILPIN Notes: Versus Eleocharis elliptica var. elliptica, var. compressa has: 1) culms with 9-14 vascular bundles, that appear compressed; 2) reticulate achenes. Culms may appear flat and broad. Rhizomes are thick and creeping and fertile scales are bifid. Species is scattered throughout Illinois, but rarer in the southern counties.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 7
  • Chicago Area: 8

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