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- Trichophorum clintonii
Trichophorum clintonii — Clinton's bulrush, Clinton's clubsedge
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Facts
Clinton's clubsedge is rare in New England, with a few populations on calcareous river shore outcrops in Maine. The plant is named after its discoverer, George William Clinton (1807-1885), a judge and son of a New York Governor, who began botanizing as a hobby when he was in his late fifties.
Habitat
Floodplain (river or stream floodplains), shores of rivers or lakes
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
- Maine
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
- Leaf blade width
- 0.5–1 mm
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is flat or rolled in at the edges
- Inflorescence position
- the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
- Inflorescence branching
- the inflorescence is on one or more stems with no branches
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is like a seed, and surrounded by scales
- Fruit length
- 1.5–2 mm
- Leaf position on plant
- the attachment points of all the leaves are at or near the base of the plant
- Perianth composition
- there are bristles attached at the base of the achene
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
-
Flowers
- Anther length
- 0.7–1.5 mm
- Floral bristle color
- the bristles are pale brown to brown
- Floral bristle number
-
- 1-4
- 5-7
- Floral bristle relative length
- the bristles are between one tenth as long as the achene, and equal in length to the achene
- Floral bristles
- the bristles are straight or slightly curved
- Floral scale hairs
- there are no hairs on the floral scales
- Floral scale shape
- the floral scales are ovate (roughly egg-shaped)
- Floral scale translucent
- the floral scales are opaque
- Flower number per cluster
-
- 2-5
- 5-20
- Inflorescence bract angle
- the bracts are vertical or angled only slightly outwards
- Inflorescence bract number
- there is just one bract on the inflorescence
- Inflorescence bract position (Sparganium)
- NA
- Inflorescence bracts
- there is only one bract, and it looks like a continuation of the stem
- Inflorescence branching
- the inflorescence is on one or more stems with no branches
- Inflorescence crowding
- NA
- Inflorescence position
- the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
- Inflorescence shape
- the aggregations within the inflorescence are roughly circular (not flattened) in cross-section
- Inflorescence type
- there is one spike or raceme at the tip of the stem
- Perianth composition
- there are bristles attached at the base of the achene
- Stamen number
- 3
- Stigma number
- 3
- Style division
- the top two thirds of the style is divided
- floral bristle barbs
- the bristles have tiny barbs on them
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene tubercle relative width
- NA
- Achene tubercle width
- 0 mm
- Capsule relative length
- NA
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
- Fruit length
- 1.5–2 mm
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is like a seed, and surrounded by scales
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is an achene (dry, seed-like fruit) without a tubercle (a swelling or projection, usually of a different color or texture)
- Locules in capsule
- NA
- Seed length
- 0 mm
- Seed tail relative length
- 0 mm
- Seed tails
- NA
- Tubercle height
- 0 mm
-
Growth form
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Rhizome thickness
- 0 mm
- Underground organs
- there are only slender roots on the plant
-
Leaves
- Auricle length
- 0 mm
- Auricle texture
- NA
- Auricles
- there are no auricles on the leaf sheath
- Leaf blade cross-section
- the leaf blade is flat or rolled in at the edges
- Leaf blade length
- 6–250 mm
- Leaf blade width
- 0.5–1 mm
- Leaf form
- all the leaves hold their form out of water
- Leaf position on plant
- the attachment points of all the leaves are at or near the base of the plant
- Leaf septa
- the leaf blades do not have transverse septa
- Leaf sheath hairs
- the leaf sheathes are without hairs
- Pedicel length (Typha)
- 0 mm
- Stem leaf blade ligules
- the plant has ligules at the leaf blade bases
- Stem leaf blades
- there are fully-developed leaves with leaf blades on the main stem
- Width of seed-producing inflorescence
- 1.3–2.5 mm
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
- Maine
- Specific habitat
-
- river or stream floodplains
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 7.5–36 cm
- Stem shape in cross-section
- the stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
- Stem texture near tip
- the edges of the stem feel rough near the tip
Wetland status
Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- absent
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- uncommon (S-rank: S3), special concern (code: SC)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
3. Trichophorum clintonii (Gray) S.G. Sm. N
Clinton’s clubsedge. Baeothryon clintonii (Gray) A. & D. Löve; Scirpus clintonii Gray • ME. Circumneutral river shore outcrops.
Native to North America?
Yes