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Trichophorum cespitosum — tufted clubsedge

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New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Facts

Tufted clubsedge has a circumboreal distribution and in North America it is increasingly common northwards, becoming a major tundra species in the arctic. In New England it is found in alpine plateaus, fens, bogs, ice-scoured river shores in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Habitat

Alpine or subalpine zones, bogs, fens, floodplain (river or stream floodplains), mountain summits and plateaus, shores of rivers or lakes, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)

Characteristics

Habitat
  • terrestrial
  • wetlands
New England state
  • Maine
  • New Hampshire
  • Vermont
Stem shape in cross-section
the stem is round or oval in cross-section
Leaf blade width
0.3–0.4 mm
Leaf blade cross-section
  • the leaf blade is elliptic or circular in cross-section
  • the leaf blade is flat or rolled in at the edges
Inflorescence position
the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
Inflorescence branching
the inflorescence is on one or more stems with no branches
Fruit type (general)
the fruit is like a seed, and surrounded by scales
Fruit length
1.4–1.7 mm
Leaf position on plant
the attachment points of all the leaves are at or near the base of the plant
Perianth composition
  • there are bristles attached at the base of the achene
  • there are long, thin hairs attached at the base of the achene
Fruit cross-section
the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
Show all characteristics
  • Flowers

    Anther length
    1.5–2.6 mm
    Floral bristle color
    the bristles are pale brown to brown
    Floral bristle number
    5-7
    Floral bristle relative length
    • the bristles are between one tenth as long as the achene, and equal in length to the achene
    • the bristles are longer than the achene
    Floral bristles
    the bristles are strongly bent or curled
    Floral scale hairs
    there are no hairs on the floral scales
    Floral scale shape
    the floral scales are ovate (roughly egg-shaped)
    Floral scale translucent
    the floral scales are opaque
    Flower number per cluster
    • 2-5
    • 5-20
    Inflorescence bract angle
    the bracts are vertical or angled only slightly outwards
    Inflorescence bract number
    there is just one bract on the inflorescence
    Inflorescence bract position (Sparganium)
    NA
    Inflorescence bracts
    there is only one bract, and it looks like a continuation of the stem
    Inflorescence branching
    the inflorescence is on one or more stems with no branches
    Inflorescence crowding
    NA
    Inflorescence position
    the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
    Inflorescence shape
    the aggregations within the inflorescence are roughly circular (not flattened) in cross-section
    Inflorescence type
    there is one spike or raceme at the tip of the stem
    Perianth composition
    • there are bristles attached at the base of the achene
    • there are long, thin hairs attached at the base of the achene
    Stamen number
    3
    Stigma number
    3
    Style division
    the top two thirds of the style is divided
    floral bristle barbs
    the bristles do not have barbs on them
  • Fruits or seeds

    Achene tubercle relative width
    NA
    Achene tubercle width
    0 mm
    Capsule relative length
    NA
    Fruit cross-section
    the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
    Fruit length
    1.4–1.7 mm
    Fruit type (general)
    the fruit is like a seed, and surrounded by scales
    Fruit type (specific)
    the fruit is an achene (dry, seed-like fruit) without a tubercle (a swelling or projection, usually of a different color or texture)
    Locules in capsule
    NA
    Seed length
    0 mm
    Seed tail relative length
    0 mm
    Seed tails
    NA
    Tubercle height
    0 mm
  • Growth form

    Lifespan
    the plant lives more than two years
    Rhizome thickness
    0 mm
    Underground organs
    there are only slender roots on the plant
  • Leaves

    Auricle length
    0 mm
    Auricle texture
    NA
    Auricles
    there are no auricles on the leaf sheath
    Leaf blade cross-section
    • the leaf blade is elliptic or circular in cross-section
    • the leaf blade is flat or rolled in at the edges
    Leaf blade length
    1.5–8 mm
    Leaf blade width
    0.3–0.4 mm
    Leaf form
    all the leaves hold their form out of water
    Leaf position on plant
    the attachment points of all the leaves are at or near the base of the plant
    Leaf septa
    the leaf blades do not have transverse septa
    Leaf sheath hairs
    the leaf sheathes are without hairs
    Pedicel length (Typha)
    0 mm
    Stem leaf blade ligules
    the plant has ligules at the leaf blade bases
    Stem leaf blades
    there are no leaves on the main stem, or there is a small tooth or tiny blade, or a leaf sheath with no blade
    Width of seed-producing inflorescence
    1.2–3 mm
  • Place

    Habitat
    • terrestrial
    • wetlands
    New England state
    • Maine
    • New Hampshire
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • alpine or subalpine zones
    • bogs
    • edges of wetlands
    • fens
    • mountain summits and plateaus
    • river or stream floodplains
    • shores of rivers or lakes
  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Plant height
    5–45 cm
    Stem shape in cross-section
    the stem is round or oval in cross-section
    Stem texture near tip
    the stem feels smooth near the tip

Wetland status

Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)

New England distribution and conservation status

Distribution

Connecticut
absent
Maine
present
Massachusetts
absent
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Vermont
extremely rare (S-rank: S1)

Native to North America?

Yes

Synonyms

  • Baeothryon cespitosum (L.) A. Dietr.
  • Scirpus cespitosus L.
  • Scirpus cespitosus L. var. callosus Bigelow
  • Scirpus cespitosus L. var. delicatulus Fern.

Family

Cyperaceae

Genus

Trichophorum

Notes on subspecies and varieties in New England

Our subspecies is Trichophorum cespitosum (L.) Hartman ssp. cespitosum.

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae

2.  Trichophorum cespitosum (L.) Hartman ssp. cespitosum N

tufted clubsedge. Baeothryon cespitosum (L.) A. Dietr.; Scirpus cespitosus L.; S. cespitosus L. var. callosus Bigelow; S. cespitosus L. var. delicatulus Fern. • ME, NH, VT. Alpine plateaus, fens, bogs, ice-scoured river shores.