Cladium mariscoides (Muhl.) Torr.
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Cyperaceae
Genus: Cladium
 
Species Synonyms: Mariscus mariscoides (Muhl.) Ktze.
Common Names: smooth sawgrass
twig-rush
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: eastern Saskatchewan, Ontario – New Brunswick – Nova Scotia – Newfoundland
Saskatchewan: eastern Saskatchewan; Wallwort
Ecoregion: Boreal Transition
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: fresh or brackish swamps, marshes and shores in deciduous forest
Associated Species: Carex limosa, Carex livida
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Endangered
Nature Conservancy Status:
G5 S1
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
None
COSEWIC Status:
None
 
Cladium mariscoides is endangered in Saskatchewan because it is extremely rare and is found in only one location. The local populations are small and cover a small area.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 30 – 100 cm
Roots: rhizomes
Culms: 1 – 2 mm wide, obscurely trigonous
Leaves: 2 – 3.5 mm wide, channelled, smooth or nearly so
Inflorescence: terminal or terminal and lateral; peduncle mostly covered by leaf sheath, 15 – 25 cm long; panicle of up to four umbellate cymes, branches stiffly ascending
Spikelets: in groups of 3 to 5, narrowly elliptic to lanceolate; scales spirally arranged, 2.5 – 3 mm long, 2 mm wide, ovate to oblong, chestnut brown, midvein conspicuous, fertile flowers 1
Flowers: perianth bristles absent; stamens 2; styles 2 to 3-cleft, 2 – 2.5 mm long
Achenes: 2.5 – 3 mm long, 1.5 mm wide, terete, ovoid, base 3 – 6 lobed and broadly truncate, distinct terminal tubercle lacking, whitish or pale green, glossy
 
CYPERACEAE KEY FOR GENERA FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN
 
1 Flowers unisexual; female flowers with perigynia
Carex
1 Flowers perfect; perigynia absent
2
   
2 Spikelets flattened; scales of spikelets 2-ranked
Cyperus
2 Spikelets not flattened; scales of spikelets spirally arranged
3
   
3 Spikelets with one fertile flower
4
3 Spikelets with many fertile flowers
5
 
4 Perianth bristles absent; achenes terete
Cladium
4 Perianth bristles present; achenes flattened
Rhynchospora
 
5 Perianth shorter than or barely exceeding scales in fruit or absent
6
5 Perianth much exceeding scales in fruit, more than 2 x as long as achene
11
 
6 Culms without blade bearing leaves, basal leaves may be present
7
6 Culms with blade bearing leaves
10
 
7 Style base enlarged to form tubercle; culms with one spikelet
Eleocharis
7 Style base not enlarged; culms with one to several spikelets
8
 
8 Bracts 2 or more, exceeding inflorescence
Schoenoplectus
8 Bracts 1 – 2, shorter than or equal to inflorescence
9
 
9 Anthers 3 mm long; spikelets usually more than one
Schoenoplectus
9 Anthers 1 – 2.5 mm long; spikelets always solitary
Trichophorum
 
10 Spikelets 1
Eleocharis
10 Spikelets 2 or more
Blysmus
 
11 Perianth bristles not more than 8, strongly curled, tangled in fruit, woolly in appearance
Scirpus
11 Perianth bristles very numerous, straight, not tangled, silky in appearance
12
 
12 Leaves to 25 cm long; perianth hairs barbed
Eriophorum
12 Leaves less than 1 cm long; perianth hairs smooth
Trichophorum