Sparganium americanum Nutt.

American Bur Reed

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

American Bur Reed is a native herbaceous perennial in the Cat-Tail family (Typhaceae). In is found throughout the state. American Bur Reed occurs in shallow water of streams, ponds, and lakes, in roadside ditches, and in swamps. It is a perennial with a long creeping rhizome rooted in the substrate and emergent or submersed grass-like leaves. It can form large clones in shallow water. The leaves are usually flat except near the base where they are keeled. The leaves are alternate, 2-ranked, linear in outline, and bright green in color. The blades are entire and glabrous. Flowers are produced in dense heads on a zig-zag rachis that is often branched. The heads are alternate and sessile, with staminate heads above the pistillate heads. The lower heads are often subtended by leaf-like bracts. Staminate flowers have 1-6 oblong greenish tepals and 1-8 stamens. Pistillate flowers have 3-6 linear to spathulate greenish tepals and 1 ovary. The fruit is a dark brown fusiform achene. American Bur Reed fruit are consumed by waterfowl, and the foliage is consumed by muskrats and white-tailed deer.—A. Diamond.

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Native OBL (NWPL)

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