Eleocharis palustris explained

Eleocharis palustris, the common spike-rush, creeping spike-rush or marsh spike-rush, is a species of mat-forming perennial flowering plants in the sedge family Cyperaceae. It grows in wetlands in Europe, North Africa, northern and central Asia (Siberia, China, Mongolia, Iran, Nepal, etc.) and North America (United States, Canada, Greenland, northern Mexico).^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]} Eleocharis palustris is not easily distinguished from other closely related species and is extremely variable worldwide itself. The species epithet palustris is Latin for "of the marsh" and indicates its common habitat.^[7]

Subspecies and varieties

Numerous names have been proposed for subspecies and varieties. The following are recognized:^[1]

1. Eleocharis palustris subsp. iranica Kukkonen - Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan
2. Eleocharis palustris subsp. palustris - most of species range
3. Eleocharis palustris var. vigens L.H.Bailey - North America
4. Eleocharis palustris subsp. waltersii Bureš & Danihelka - Europe and Cyprus

Notes and References

1. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=242738 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
2. Web site: Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult. common spikerush . . May 19, 2008.
3. http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Eleocharis%20palustris.png Biota of North America Program, 2013 range distribution map
4. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=220004641 Flora of China, Vol. 23 Page 198, 沼泽荸荠 zhao ze bi qi, Eleocharis palustris (Linnaeus) Roemer & Schultes, Syst. Veg. 2: 151. 1817.
5. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220004641 Flora of North America, Eleocharis palustris (Linnaeus) Roemer & Schultes in J. J. Roemer et al., Syst. Veg. 2: 151. 1817.
6. http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index1.php?scientific-name=eleocharis+palustris Altervista Flora Italiana, Giunchina comune, Eleocharis palustris
7. Archibald William Smith