Family: Cyperaceae
Author: (Kunth) Roem. & Schult.
Bibliography: Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 2: 150 (1817)
Year: 1817
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Eleocharis
Vegetable: False
Observations: Trop. & Subtrop. America
Description
Elegant spike-rush, scientifically known as Eleocharis elegans, is a distinctive species belonging to the Cyperaceae family. This perennial plant is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, where it contributes significantly to the ecosystems it inhabits.
Described first in the early 19th century, specifically in 1817 under the comprehensive work Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis, the formal naming authority is attributed to (Kunth) Roem. & Schult. This solid foundation of taxonomic classification underscores the plant’s long-recognized role in botanical literature.
Eleocharis elegans exhibits the characteristic slender, erect stems that define spike-rushes. These stems are typically smooth and cylindrical, with minimal branching, and end in small, inconspicuous spikelets that are crucial for the plant’s reproductive process. The plant thrives in wetland habitats, often found at the edges of ponds, marshes, and damp fields where water is abundant. It plays a crucial role in these environments, acting as a stabilizer for soil and providing habitat for a variety of wildlife species.
The adaptation of elegant spike-rush to fluctuating water levels and its resilience in various soil types make it an essential species for wetland conservation efforts. Its presence indicates healthy, functioning wetland ecosystems capable of supporting diverse biological communities. Efforts to preserve and study Eleocharis elegans contribute to broader conservation goals, ensuring that these vital ecosystems remain intact and continue to provide ecological benefits.
Common Names
Eng: elegant spike-rush, elegant spikerush
En: Elegant spike-rush, Elegant spikerush
Synonyms
- Scirpus elegans (Kunth)
- Eleocharis crassiculmis ((Nees) Steud.)
- Eleocharis constricta (Schult.)
- Eleocharis viridis (Boeckeler)
- Scirpus viridis ((Boeckeler) Kuntze)
- Scirpus crassiculmis ((Nees) Schrad. ex Griseb.)
- Limnochloa crassiculmis (Nees)
Distribution
- Argentina Northeast (native)
- Argentina Northwest (native)
- Belize (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Brazil North (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Brazil West-Central (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Costa Rica (native)
- Cuba (native)
- Dominican Republic (native)
- Ecuador (native)
- El Salvador (native)
- Florida (native)
- French Guiana (native)
- Guatemala (native)
- Guyana (native)
- Haiti (native)
- Honduras (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Gulf (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Panamá (native)
- Paraguay (native)
- Peru (native)
- Puerto Rico (native)
- Suriname (native)
- Trinidad-Tobago (native)
- Uruguay (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Windward Is. (native)
Additional Images
Leaf
Taken Mar 19, 2022 by Gonçalves da Cunha Lucas (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 2, 2021 by carine letendre (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 17, 2022 by Miguel-de-SCAMPS_MX (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 4, 2021 by Sebastian Gardt (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 22, 2022 by Justo Fernanda (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Sep 25, 2009 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Nov 18, 2016 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Nov 18, 2016 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Nov 18, 2016 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Bark
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Sep 25, 2009 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Sep 25, 2009 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Flower
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Aug 23, 2012 by OTS – Padilla, Sergio (cc-by-nc-sa)
Fruit
Taken Sep 27, 2016 by Nelson Zamora Villalobos (cc-by-nc)
Taken Sep 27, 2016 by Nelson Zamora Villalobos (cc-by-nc)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Nov 18, 2016 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Aug 23, 2012 by OTS – Padilla, Sergio (cc-by-nc-sa)
Habit
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Nov 18, 2016 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Aug 23, 2012 by OTS – Padilla, Sergio (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Aug 23, 2012 by OTS – Padilla, Sergio (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Aug 23, 2012 by OTS – Padilla, Sergio (cc-by-nc-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2717227)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:306803-1)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Eleocharis elegans (Kunth) Roem. & Schult.)
Specifications
Growth habit>: Graminoid
