Congdon's bulrush

Scirpus congdonii Britton

Scirpus congdonii is a perennial herb in the Cyperaceae family, native to northern California, southern Oregon, and western Nevada. It grows in wetlands, mountain meadows, and waterways. The plant forms clumps of erect, three-angled stems up to 0.5 meters tall. It has sheathing leaves and an inflorescence at the stem tip, with additional inflorescences in leaf axils. Each inflorescence contains multiple spikelets enclosed at the base by a leaflike bract.

Description

Scirpus congdonii, known as Congdon's bulrush, is a Cyperaceae species named after botanist J.W. Congdon. It is distributed in the mountainous and plateau regions of northern California, southern Oregon, and western Nevada. This plant thrives in moist environments, including wetlands and waterways. The plant has erect, three-angled stems that can grow up to 0.5 meters in height. Leaves are sheathing and occur both at the base and along the stems. The inflorescence is terminal, with additional ones in leaf axils. Each inflorescence comprises multiple spikelets, each wrapped at the base by a bract resembling a leaf. The species was first described in 1918 by Britton.