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Eleocharis quinqueflora

(F.X. Hartmann) Schwarz

Few-flower Spikerush

G5Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.131213
Element CodePMCYP091K0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyCyperaceae
GenusEleocharis
Other Common Names
Éléocharide à cinq fleurs (FR) fewflower spikerush (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-07-14
Change Date1990-01-16
Edition Date2025-07-14
Edition AuthorsJohnson, J. (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Eleocharis quinqueflora is found widely around the world in northern and western North America, northern Central America, southern South America, Eurasia, and northern Africa. With a broad range, large number of occurrences, and a preference for widespread habitats, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Eleocharis quinqueflora is found widely around the world in northern and western North America, northern Central America, southern South America, Eurasia, and northern Africa (FNA 2002, GBIF 2025). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are thousands of occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Eleocharis quinqueflora is potentially threatened by development, water management, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Eleocharis quinqueflora grows in fens and wet meadows, and near seeps, springs, and hot springs (FNA 2002).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOLHERBACEOUS WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
Prince Edward IslandS1Yes
AlbertaS3Yes
NunavutSUYes
Nova ScotiaS3Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
New BrunswickS3Yes
SaskatchewanS4Yes
LabradorSUYes
ManitobaS3Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS3Yes
QuebecS4Yes
Yukon TerritoryS3Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
UtahSNRYes
IowaSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
OhioS2Yes
MaineSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS1Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
IdahoSNRYes
WisconsinS2Yes
New JerseyS1Yes
IllinoisSNRYes
NevadaS3Yes
MontanaSNRYes
New YorkS1Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
VermontS2Yes
WyomingS4Yes
NebraskaS3Yes
IndianaS3Yes
MassachusettsS1Yes
AlaskaS2Yes
MinnesotaS3Yes
North DakotaS3Yes
ArizonaS2Yes
WashingtonSNRYes
ColoradoS3Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undeterminedUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (3)
Michigan (1)
AreaForestAcres
FibreHiawatha National Forest7,432
Oregon (2)
AreaForestAcres
Twin LakesMt. Hood National Forest6,055
West - South BachelorDeschutes National Forest25,994
References (9)
  1. Coffin, B. and L. Pfannmuller (eds.). 1988. Minnesota's endangered flora and fauna. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 23. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Cyperaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 608 pp.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  4. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Myhre, K. 2001. Comments by K. Myhre on rare species list for fisheries. Email memo. 23 May 2001. 2pp.
  7. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  8. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).