Description

General: Bur-reed family (Sparaniaceae).

American bur-reed

Sparganium americanum (SPAM)

branched bur-reed

Sparganium androcladum (SPAN)

narrowleaf bur-reed

Sparganium angustifolium (SPAN2)

simplestem bur-reed

Sparganium erectum (SPER)

broadfruit bur-reed

Sparganium eurycarpum (SPEU)

floating bur-reed

Sparganium fluctuans (SPFL)

clustered bur-reed

Sparganium glomeratum (SPGL)

northern bur-reed

Sparganium hyperboreum (SPHY)

small bur-reed

Sparganium natans (SPNA)

These bur-reed species are native, herbaceous marsh or pond plants with rootstocks. The leaves are alternate, stiff and erect or limp and floating, linear, and internally septate (The Great Plains Flora Association 1986). The individual flowers are small and occur in separate male (staminate) or female (pistillate) globular clusters on the same plant. (Steyermark 1963).

Distribution: A genus of twenty or more Sparanium species is widely distributed in temperate and colder latitudes of the eastern and western hemispheres, and in eastern North America (Braun 1967). For current distribution, please consult the Plant profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.