Eleocharis palustris

Species of grass-like plant

Eleocharis palustris, the common spike-rush, creeping spike-rush or marsh spike-rush, is a species of mat-forming perennial flowering plants in the sedge family Cyperaceae. It grows in wetlands in Europe, North Africa, northern and central Asia (Siberia, China, Mongolia, Iran, Nepal, etc.) and North America (United States, Canada, Greenland, northern Mexico).^{[3][4][5][6][7][8]} Eleocharis palustris is not easily distinguished from other closely related species and is extremely variable worldwide itself. The species epithet palustris is Latin for "of the marsh" and indicates its common habitat.^[9]

Subspecies and varieties

Numerous names have been proposed for subspecies and varieties. The following are recognized:^[3]

1. Eleocharis palustris subsp. iranica Kukkonen - Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan
2. Eleocharis palustris subsp. palustris - most of species range
3. Eleocharis palustris var. vigens L.H.Bailey - North America
4. Eleocharis palustris subsp. waltersii Bureš & Danihelka - Europe and Cyprus

Eleocharis palustris in Rehovot vernal pool, Israel

References

1. Lansdown, R.V. (2013). "Eleocharis palustris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T163990A1017558. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T163990A1017558.en. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
2. "Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
3. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
4. "Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult. common spikerush". USDA. Retrieved May 19, 2008.
5. Biota of North America Program, 2013 range distribution map
6. Flora of China, Vol. 23 Page 198, 沼泽荸荠 zhao ze bi qi, Eleocharis palustris (Linnaeus) Roemer & Schultes, Syst. Veg. 2: 151. 1817.
7. Flora of North America, Eleocharis palustris (Linnaeus) Roemer & Schultes in J. J. Roemer et al., Syst. Veg. 2: 151. 1817.
8. Altervista Flora Italiana, Giunchina comune, Eleocharis palustris includes photos plus distribution maps for Europe and North America
9. Archibald William Smith A Gardener's Handbook of Plant Names: Their Meanings and Origins , p. 258, at Google Books