Schoenoplectus subterminalis (Torr.) Sojak
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Cyperaceae
Genus: Schoenoplectus
 
Species Synonyms: Scirpus subterminalis Torr.
Common Names: subterminal bulrush
swaying bulrush
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: British Columbia, northwestern Saskatchewan, Ontario – Quebec – Newfoundland – Nova Scotia
Saskatchewan: northwestern Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca
Ecoregion: Athabasca Plain
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: submerged to emergent aquatic, occasionally terrestrial; lakes streams, and bogs
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Endangered
Nature Conservancy Status:
G5 S2
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
None
COSEWIC Status:
None
 
Schoenoplectus subterminalis is endangered because it is extremely rare and is only found in one small region of the province. In addition, most local populations are small and some may be threatened by planned developments.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: to 1.5 m
Roots: rhizomes soft, weak, occasionally with terminal tubers to 3 mm thick
Culms: cylindrical to obscurely trigonous, < 1 mm wide
Leaves: 2 – 20 or more, erect leaves usually C-shaped in cross section, capillary; submerged leaves basal, < 1 mm wide, filiform, flaccid
Inflorescence: spikelet terminal but appearing lateral, solitary, erect; bract 7 – 60 mm long, stiff, foliaceous
Spikelets: 5 – 15 mm long; scales 4 – 6 mm long, ovate, smooth, pale brown, margins sometimes ciliolate
Flowers: perianth bristles 6, shorter than or equal to achene beak, brown, spinulose; styled 3-cleft
Achenes: obovoid, trigonous, brown, beak 0.3 – 0.8 mm
 
SCHOENOPLECTUS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN
 
1 Culms clearly trigonous
S. pungens var. pungens
1 Culms cylindrical, may be obscurely trigonous at base
2
   
2 Spikelet scales entire; rhizomes soft and weak
S. subterminalis
2 Spikelet scales emarginate; rhizomes long and tough
3
   
3 Spikelet scale awns straight to bent, to 0.8 mm long
S. tabernaemontani
3 Spikelet scale awns strongly contorted, to 2 mm long
S. acutus