Scleria reticularis — netted nutsedge
![Plant form: Scleria reticularis. ~ By John Bradford and George Rogers. ~ Copyright © 2024 John Bradford and George Rogers. ~ George Rogers: rogersg[at]palmbeachstate.edu, 561-207-5052 ~ floridagrasses.org/index.htm](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/scleria-reticularis-ha-flgrasses1.jpg)
![Flowers and fruits: Scleria reticularis. ~ By Jennifer Garrett. ~ Copyright © 2024 Jennifer Garrett. ~ gemmiferg[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/scleria-reticularis-ff-jgarrett.jpg)
![Flowers and fruits: Scleria reticularis. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/scleria-reticularis-ff-ahaines.jpg)
![Inflorescences: Scleria reticularis. ~ By John Bradford and George Rogers. ~ Copyright © 2024 John Bradford and George Rogers. ~ George Rogers: rogersg[at]palmbeachstate.edu, 561-207-5052 ~ floridagrasses.org/index.htm](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cyperaceae/scleria-reticularis-in-flgrasses1.jpg)
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Facts
Netted nutsedge is found on pond shores along the coastal plain. It is reasonably common in Massachusetts, but very rare in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
Habitat
Shores of rivers or lakes
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.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
-
- aquatic
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
- Leaf blade width
- 1–3.5 mm
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is flat or rolled in at the edges
- Inflorescence position
-
- the inflorescence emerges from an axil, or most of its parts do so
- the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
- Inflorescence branching
- the inflorescence is branched
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is like a seed, and surrounded by scales
- Fruit length
- 1.5–2 mm
- Leaf position on plant
- some leaf attachment points are above the midpoint of the stem
- Perianth composition
- there is no perianth on the plant
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
-
Flowers
- Anther length
- 2–4 mm
- Floral bristle color
- NA
- Floral bristle number
- 0
- Floral bristle relative length
- NA
- Floral bristles
- NA
- Floral scale hairs
- there are no hairs on the floral scales
- 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 are two to five bracts per inflorescence
- Inflorescence bract position (Sparganium)
- NA
- Inflorescence bracts
- there are at least two bracts, and they are either flat or folded or rolled in at the edges
- Inflorescence branching
- the inflorescence is branched
- Inflorescence crowding
- the inflorescence is at least somewhat spread out, with at least one branch coming from the main stem
- Inflorescence position
-
- the inflorescence emerges from an axil, or most of its parts do so
- 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 are two or more flowers, spikes or flower clusters on a branched inflorescence
- Perianth composition
- there is no perianth on the plant
- Stamen number
-
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Stigma number
-
- 2
- 3
- Style division
- the top two thirds of the style is divided
- floral bristle barbs
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene surface texture
- the achene has very obvious pits or depressions on it
- 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
- 1.5–2 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 only a single year or less
- 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 flat or rolled in at the edges
- Leaf blade length
- 0–25 mm
- Leaf blade width
- 1–3.5 mm
- Leaf form
- all the leaves hold their form out of water
- Leaf position on plant
- some leaf attachment points are above the midpoint of the stem
- Leaf septa
- the leaf blades do not have transverse septa
- 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
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Specific habitat
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 6–50 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
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Connecticut
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Massachusetts
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Rhode Island
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), state threatened (code: ST)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
2. Scleria reticularis Michx. NC
netted nutsedge. CT, MA, NH, RI. Sandy or peaty shores of ponds along the coastal plain.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Scleria pauciflora:
- hypogynium without lobes, bearing 6 globose tubercles arranged in 3 pairs, achene body papillate-verrucose, these projections sometimes arranged to provide the appearance of irregular transverse ridges, and inflorescence a dense terminal cluster, sometimes with 1 or 2 axillary clusters as well (vs. S. reticularis, with the hypogynium with 3 oblong lobes, without tubercles, achene body reticulate-patterned with polygonal pits, and inflorescence a panicle of clusters, with visible branches).