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Eleocharis palustris

Common name:	Common Spike-Rush	Family:	Cyperaceae
Author:	(L.)Roem.&Schult.	Botanical references:	17, 200
Synonyms:	Eleocharis eupalustris (Lindberg.f.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	An almost cosmopolitan plant, found in most regions of the world including Britain.
Habitat:	Marshes, ditches and the margins of ponds throughout Britain[17].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	1	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	0

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	E. calva var. australis[B,P] E. macrostachya[B,C,P] E. mamillata[B] E. mamillata auct. non[P] E. palustris var. australis[B,P] E. palustris var. major[B,P] E. palustris var. vigens[B] E. perlonga[B,P] E. smallii[B] E. smallii var. major[B,P] E. xyridiformis[B,P] Scirpus palustris[G,H]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Common Spike-rush [L], Common Spikerush [P,FEIS], Creeping Spike-rush [L], Pale Spike-rush [L,B],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	palustris = in bogs;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Cyperales. Sedge family

Physical Characteristics

Perennial growing to 0.6m by 1m . It is hardy to zone 4. It is in flower from May to July, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs). We rate it 1/5 for edibility and 0/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires wet soil and can grow in water.

Edible Uses

Sap.

Sap eaten[257]. No more information is given.

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

None known

Other Uses

Bedding; Stuffing.

The plant has been used as bedding, for stuffing pillows and to make a pad for sitting on[257].

Cultivation details

Prefers slightly acid conditions, growing well in shallow water or muddy ground[200].
A very variable species, it is divided into a number of sub-species by some botanists[257].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in the spring in pots standing in shallow water. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
Division in spring.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[FEIS] Data (Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.

References for eleocharis palustris (a possible synonym).

[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures

References for the family Cyperaceae.

To be included in the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

Readers Comments

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Eleocharis+palustris
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