Schoenoplectus torreyi — Torrey's club-bulrush
![Flowers and fruits: Schoenoplectus torreyi. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/schoenoplectus-torreyi-ff-ahaines.jpg)
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Facts
Torrey's bulrush inhabits shallow water sites in lakes, rivers and marshes throughout New England.
Habitat
Lacustrine (in lakes or ponds), marshes, riverine (in rivers or streams)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
-
- aquatic
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
- Leaf blade width
- 1–2 mm
- Leaf blade cross-section
-
- the leaf blade is flat or rolled in at the edges
- the leaf blade is triangular in cross-section
- Inflorescence position
- the inflorescence appears to come from the side of the plant because the involucral bract at its base looks like an extension of the main stem
- Inflorescence branching
-
- the inflorescence is branched
- 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
- 3.5–4.5 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
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
-
Flowers
- Anther length
- 2–3 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 straight or slightly curved
- Floral scale hairs
- there are no hairs on the floral scales
- Floral scale length
- 4–5 mm
- Floral scale nerves
-
- 2-5
- 7 or more
- Floral scale shape
-
- the floral scales are lanceolate (widest below the middle, and tapering at both ends)
- the floral scales are ovate (roughly egg-shaped)
- Floral scale translucent
- the floral scales are opaque
- 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 branched
- the inflorescence is on one or more stems with no branches
- Inflorescence crowding
- the inflorescence is crowded together in one tight cluster
- Inflorescence position
- the inflorescence appears to come from the side of the plant because the involucral bract at its base looks like an extension of the main stem
- Inflorescence shape
- the aggregations within the inflorescence are roughly circular (not flattened) in cross-section
- Inflorescence type
-
- there are two or more flowers, spikes or flower clusters on a branched inflorescence
- there is one spike or raceme at the tip of the stem
- Perianth composition
- there are bristles 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 have tiny barbs on them
- plantlets budding at flower bases
- no
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene beak length
- 0.5–1 mm
- 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
- 3.5–4.5 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
- 1–3 mm
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
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 flat or rolled in at the edges
- the leaf blade is triangular in cross-section
- Leaf blade width
- 1–2 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 fully-developed leaves with leaf blades on the main stem
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- aquatic
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- in lakes or ponds
- in rivers or streams
- marshes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 40–150 cm
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
- Stem texture near tip
- the stem feels smooth near the tip
- Stem thickness at midpoint
- 1–10 mm
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Connecticut
- rare (S-rank: S2), threatened (code: T)
- Maine
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
- Massachusetts
- rare (uncertain) (S-rank: S2?)
- New Hampshire
- uncommon (S-rank: S3), W (code: W)
- Rhode Island
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), state threatened (code: ST)
- Vermont
- extremely rare to rare (S-rank: S1S2)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
11. Schoenoplectus torreyi (Olney) Palla N
Torrey’s club-bulrush. Scirpus torreyi Olney • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Shallow water of lakes, rivers, and marshes.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Schoenoplectus etuberculatus:
- inflorescence open, with elongate branches, with 3–20 pedicellate spikelets, floral scales 5–7 mm long, and style beak 0.7–2 mm long (vs. S. torreyi, with the inflorescence congested, lacking elongate branches, usually with 1–4 spikelets, floral scales 4–5 mm long, and style beak 0.5–1 mm long).
Synonyms
- Scirpus torreyi Olney