Description: Tufted or rhizomatous perennials. Culms nodeless, terete to triquetrous, glabrous.
Leaves mostly reduced to a mucro on a sheath, occasionally longer blade present; ligule membranous. Inflorescence pseudolateral, branched or head-like or a single spikelet; lowest involucral bract culm-like, usually erect.
Spikelets mostly sessile, many-flowered. Hypogynous bristles 2–6, filiform and retrorsely scabrous, or flattened and irregularly plumose. Stamens 2 or 3. Style 2- or 3-fid.
Nuts lenticular or trigonous, smooth.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 30 species, cosmopolitan. Australia: 4 species, all States.
Previously more broadly circumscribed to include the smaller perennials and annuals that are now placed in Schoenoplectiella.
Text by K. L. Wilson (1993); edited KL Wilson (Nov 2015)
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Inflorescence simple, head-like; the lowest involucral bract much exceeding the inflorescence; culms triquetrous; leaf blades present, to 20 cm long | Schoenoplectus pungens |
| Inflorescence compound, with the lowest involucral bract usually shorter than or equalling the inflorescence; culms terete; leaf blades absent or reduced | 2 |
| 2 | Culms terete, bluish grey-green; hypogynous bristles filiform, retrorsely scabrous, 5 or 6; glumes distinctly ciliate | Schoenoplectus validus |
| Culms triquetrous to trigonous below inflorescence, becoming terete lower down, light to dark green (not bluish grey-green); hypogynous bristles somewhat flattened and plumose at least in part, 2–4(-5); glumes glabrous or sparsely minutely ciliolate
Back to 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Hypogynous bristles flattened or folded longitudinally, antrorsely plumose, about as long as nut; glumes glabrous or rarely sparsely minutely ciliolate; culms yellow-green | Schoenoplectus subulatus |
| Hypogynous bristles flattish or trigonous in cross-section, antrorsely to spreading plumose, shorter than nut; glumes sparsely minutely ciliolate; culms mid-green to dark green
Back to 2 | Schoenoplectus californicus |
|
