Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Schoenoplectus acutus
Tule bulrush, Hard-stemmed bulrush
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Scirpus acutus congestus, Scirpus acutus

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

  • Magnoliophyta

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

Images

   
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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
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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: panicle, head

Flowers: perfect; 3 merous; complete, regular; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: achene

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual, vegetative

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is distributed in water 3"-3' deep, fresh, acid, marl, mildly alkaline, or slightly brackish; along larger rivers.

ILPIN Notes: Dried, beaten rootstocks furnish a meal for bread; young tip of underground rootstock "a thirst-quencher." Boiled young roots yield a sweet syrup. Achenes used for food. Pollen for cakes. Ref. 8 describes 2 varieties not recognized on the phylogenetic List of Ill. Vasc. Plants. Marshbirds and shorebirds eat seeds as food. Regarding aquatic species food value, this refers to aquatic furbearers. Form - roots plant in spring or fall at 1000 roots/acre. Seed company no. 1, 11.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae: no
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

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

  • Entire State: 6
  • Chicago Area: 6

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