E. O. Beal (1977) recognized three morphologically overlapping races of Sparganium americanum: the coastal race, growing in the lower coastal plain from Virginia to Florida and Louisiana, and north in the Mississippi Embayment to Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri, has leaves wide for the species, rachises 2--5-branched, and stigmas 1.5+ mm long; the Appalachian race, growing in the Appalachian region from Maine to western North Carolina and in the Ozark Mountains, has leaves narrow for the species, rachises simple to sparingly branched, and stigmas 0.9 mm or less; and the ubiquitous race, growing throughout the range of the species with increasing robustness southward, morphologically overlaps the others.
Sparganium americanum, American bur-reed, is a perennial plant found in the United States of America and Canada.[1] Though this species resembles a grass, it is a type of bur-reed.[2] This species is important for conservation purposes because it has the ability to remove nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from water, like many other wetland species. By doing this it protects waterways from excess nitrogen which can cause eutrophication. This increased nitrogen is especially a problem during the farmers’ growing season. During this same time frame the S. americanum is growing and taking up nitrogen.[3]
Sparganium americanum is located in marshes. American bur-reed grows from spring to fall in low marsh and shallow water (from 0 to 12 inches of water).[2] Sparganium americanum is located in the United States of America and Canada. In the United States, American bur-reed is found in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Washington DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. In Canada American bur-reed can be found in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward, and Quebec.[1]
Sparganium americanum is a perennial plant.[1] American bur-reed grow in low marsh and shallow water, surviving in water up to 12 inches deep. This species helps stabilize muddy areas. Waterfowl and other animals feed on the seeds of S. americanum and some animals also eat their leaves.[2] Sparganium americanum live in peaty to sandy soils along lakeshores, slow moving streams and as floating vegetation in boggy lakes.[4] In a paper by the State University of New York at Binghamton, scientists showed that S. americanum accrued more aboveground biomass and lower belowground biomass than the other four wetland plant species the study looked at. The study looked at Sparganium americanum, Phalaris arundinacea, Scirpus cyperinus, Juncus effusus, and Calamagrostis canadensis. The study also showed that S. americanum had the highest concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in aboveground tissue compared to the other species in the study. Even though S. americanum accumulated the most aboveground nitrogen and phosphorus, this species lost so much phosphorus that its net retention dropped below that of other species in the study. In the short run American bur-reed is helpful in retaining nutrients from agricultural runoff.[3]
Waterfowl and marsh birds eat the seeds, and muskrats eat from the entire plant.[5]
Sparganium americanum is a monocot plant.[1] Individuals of this species may look like grass, but they aren’t. Individual American bur-reeds can grow to be between two and four feet. American bur-reed plants flower during the summer.[2] The leaves are green and are triangular in cross section; the leaves of individuals living in deeper water can produce floating leaves.[4]
Sparganium americanum spread rapidly through their underground root systems of rhizomes. American bur-reed does flower in the summer time.[2] The inflorescence of S. americanum can be branched or simple. The fruits of this plant species have a dull surface with beaks that are between 2 and 5 millimeters long. These beaks may be straight, but some of them may be curved. The flower tepals could have a dark spot on them.[4]
Sparganium americanum, American bur-reed, is a perennial plant found in the United States of America and Canada. Though this species resembles a grass, it is a type of bur-reed. This species is important for conservation purposes because it has the ability to remove nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from water, like many other wetland species. By doing this it protects waterways from excess nitrogen which can cause eutrophication. This increased nitrogen is especially a problem during the farmers’ growing season. During this same time frame the S. americanum is growing and taking up nitrogen.
Sparganium americanum es una planta acuática de la familia del junco (Typhaceae), dentro del orden Poales en lo que comúnmente llamamos grupo de las monocotiledóneas, aunque hoy en día se agrupan dentro del grupo Liliopsida; también se clasifica este género dentro de su propia familia Sparganiaceae. El nombre del género Sparganium se deriva del griego “Sparganion” un nombre que era usado por Dioscórides, un farmacólogo griego del siglo I, la especie, S. americanum, hace referencia a Estados Unidos de América.[2]
Planta acuática, plantas delgadas, similares a pastos de hasta 1 m de altura, hojas e inflorescencias usualmente emergentes; hojas erectas pero no especialmente rígidas, usualmente quilladas cerca de la base, aplanadas distalmente, de hasta 1 m de largo por entre 6 y 12 mm de ancho; inflorescencias con un raquis de cero a tres veces ramificado, erecto y ascendente, cabezas pistiladas de 1 a 3 en cada rama, de 2 a 6 en el raquis primario, cabezas estamimadas de 3 a 7 en cada rama, de 4 a 10 en el raquis primario; tépalos a menudo con un gran punto subapical obscuro; frutos de color café a café verdoso obscuro, subsésiles a estipitados, fusiformes, con los tépalos afianzados en la base.[3] En México esta especie se distingue de S. eurycarpum por tener un fruto subsesil a estipitado y un solo estigma.[2][3]
La especie se distribuye ampliamente en Canadá y Estados Unidos de América, mientras que en México se conoce solo por tres registros en el estado de Durango, municipio de Pueblo Nuevo, localidad El Salto.[4]
Planta dulceacuícola, en lagos de montaña, arroyos de bosques templados, pantanos y canales, se ha colectado entre los 2200 y 2600 msnm.[4]
En México se le considera bajo la categoría de en Peligro de extinción (P) según la NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010. Considerada como de Preocupación Menor (LC = Least Concern) por la Lista Roja de especies amenazadas de la IUCN.[5] «w». Índice Internacional de Nombres de las Plantas (IPNI). Real Jardín Botánico de Kew, Herbario de la Universidad de Harvard y Herbario nacional Australiano (eds.).
Sparganium americanum es una planta acuática de la familia del junco (Typhaceae), dentro del orden Poales en lo que comúnmente llamamos grupo de las monocotiledóneas, aunque hoy en día se agrupan dentro del grupo Liliopsida; también se clasifica este género dentro de su propia familia Sparganiaceae. El nombre del género Sparganium se deriva del griego “Sparganion” un nombre que era usado por Dioscórides, un farmacólogo griego del siglo I, la especie, S. americanum, hace referencia a Estados Unidos de América.
Sparganium americanum là một loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Typhaceae. Loài này được Nutt. miêu tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1818.[1]
Sparganium americanum là một loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Typhaceae. Loài này được Nutt. miêu tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1818.