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- Trichophorum clintonii
Trichophorum clintonii — Clinton's bulrush, Clinton's clubsedge
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Facts
Clinton's clubsedge is rare in New England, with a few populations on calcareous river shore outcrops in Maine. The plant is named after its discoverer, George William Clinton (1807-1885), a judge and son of a New York Governor, who began botanizing as a hobby when he was in his late fifties.
Habitat
Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), 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.
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Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
- Maine
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
- Leaf blade width
- 0.5–1 mm
- Leaf blade 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
- 1.5–2 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
- 0.7–1.5 mm
- Floral bristle color
- the bristles are pale brown to brown
- Floral bristle number
-
- 1-4
- 5-7
- Floral bristle relative length
- the bristles are between one tenth as long as the achene, and equal in length to the achene
- Floral bristles
- the bristles are straight or slightly curved
- 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
- 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
-
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
- 1.5–2 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 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 flat or rolled in at the edges
- Leaf blade length
- 6–250 mm
- Leaf blade width
- 0.5–1 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
- Width of seed-producing inflorescence
- 1.3–2.5 mm
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
- Maine
- Specific habitat
-
- river or stream floodplains
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 7.5–36 cm
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
- Stem texture near tip
- the edges of the stem feel rough near the tip
Wetland status
Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- uncommon (S-rank: S3), special concern (code: SC)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
3. Trichophorum clintonii (Gray) S.G. Sm. N
Clinton’s clubsedge. Baeothryon clintonii (Gray) A. & D. Löve; Scirpus clintonii Gray • ME. Circumneutral river shore outcrops.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Trichophorum planifolium:
- floral scales mucronate at apex, all with an excurrent midrib, and leaves 0.8–2 mm wide, equal in height or taller than the stems, even at fruiting (vs. T. clintonii, with floral scales obtuse at apex, the upper scales with an evanescent midrib, and leaves mostly 0.5–0.8 mm wide, up to as tall as the stems at flowering, much shorter than the stems at fruiting).
Synonyms
- Baeothryon clintonii (Gray) A. & D. Löve
- Scirpus clintonii Gray