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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE SEDGE FAMILY | |||||||||
| The sedge family is widespread around
the world, but these plants are usually found in damp habitats in subarctic
to temperate regions. The sedge family is very large, with approximately
5,315 species! There is a lot of variability within the family, but in general,
they are all perennial rhizomatous herbs. The stems are solid and are frequently
three sided. The leaves are in three vertical rows. The basal sheath of
the leaves is closed. The leaves are linear and have parallel venation typical
of the monocots. The inflorescences vary greatly among genera. In general,
flowers are in spikelets which are arranged into spikes, racemes, panicles
and umbel-like clusters. In each spikelet there are bracts, usually at least
one per flower. The flowers are reduced, meaning that they do not have obvious
sepals and petals. The sepals and petals, if present, are often bristles,
scales or hairs. There are three stamens and two or three carpels. The flowers
may have both male and female parts or only one of the two. In one of the
main genera, Carex, the ovary is enclosed in a sac-like bract called
the perigynium. The fruits are achenes and are lens-shaped or triangular. The sedges are an ecologically important family in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan has 149 species belonging to the Cyperaceae. | |||||||||
| SLIM SPIKERUSH | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Eleocharis elliptica | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Slim spikerush is one of the taller rushes in Saskatchewan. It grows up to 90 cm tall from rhizomes. This perennial species has round stems that are up to three times as wide as thick. The leaves are reduced to bladeless sheaths. The sheaths are dark red near the top and green to straw-coloured or red near the base. The inflorescence is a single, terminal spikelet that is less than 1 cm long. The floral scales are medium to very dark brown with a pale midrib. The flowers are usually lacking sepals and petals. The styles are three-branched. The achenes are yellow, orange or brown and if looked at under the microscope, have a honeycomb pattern on the surface. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Slim spikerush grows in wet, open or treed bogs and fens. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This species is found in southern Saskatchewan in the Moist Mixed Grassland, Aspen Parkland, Boreal Transition, and Mid-Boreal Upland ecoregions. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| Slim spikerush is threatened in Saskatchewan because it is rare or uncommon and most local populations are small. No immediate threats are known for this species. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY SLIM SPIKERUSH | |||||||||
| * Are the stems up to 90 cm tall? * Is the spikelet terminal and solitary? * Is the surface of the achene honeycombed? * Did you find it in southern Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found slim spikerush! | |||||||||
