Sparganium americanum

Nutt.

American Bur-reed

G5Secure Found in 5 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.132792
Element CodePMSPA01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderTyphales
FamilyTyphaceae
GenusSparganium
Other Common Names
American bur-reed (EN) Rubanier d'Amérique (FR)
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 Date2025-01-10
Change Date1984-09-06
Edition Date2025-01-10
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Sparganium americanum is an aquatic perennial monocot occurring in a variety of wetland habitats from Manitoba east to Newfoundland and Labrador, south to Florida, and west to Texas in the United States and Canada, and also in Mexico. There are over 1,000 estimated occurrences rangewide, which are potentially threatened by development, water diversion, alteration of hydrology, erosion, pollution, recreational activities, invasive species, drought, and other threats in some places. Little is known about threats and trends, but with a large range extent, high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Sparganium americanum is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Sparganium americanum occurs in eastern North America from Manitoba east to Newfoundland and Labrador, south to Florida and west to Texas in the United States and Canada (FNA 2000). This species also occurs in Mexico. 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, 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 over 1,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Sparganium americanum is likely threatened by development, water diversion, alteration of hydrology, erosion, pollution, recreational activities, invasive species, drought, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand the scope and severity of threats for this species.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Sparganium americanum occurs in a variety of wetland habitats, including canals, ditches, fens, floodplains, marshes, swamps, bogs, meadows, and the margins of lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and roadsides at elevations up to 631 meters (Les 2020). It can tolerate both full sun and partial shade, and it is adaptable to a wide range of environmental conditions. Sparganium americanum can grow in saturated substrates or in up to one meter of still or flowing water. Its preferred substrates include gravel, muck, sand, peat, and mud, and it can tolerate a broad range of water pH levels (2.0–9.8) and water chemistry (e.g., alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, and sulfate).

Ecology

The seeds of Sparganium americanum are an important food source for waterfowl and the plant is eaten by muskrats (Native Plant Trust 2025).

Reproduction

Flowering occurs from May to October, with the highest frequency in shallow water (12–45 cm depth), and the production of staminate heads is influenced by pH and alkalinity levels (Les 2020). Seed germination is moderate, with a 25% germination rate under controlled conditions.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest EdgeGrassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
KentuckyS5Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
New JerseyS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
West VirginiaS5Yes
DelawareS5Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
FloridaS3Yes
New YorkS5Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
MississippiSNRYes
OhioS5Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
TexasSNRYes
IllinoisS1Yes
GeorgiaS5Yes
MichiganSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
VirginiaS5Yes
OklahomaS3Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
IowaS4Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
VermontS5Yes
MissouriSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
KansasS1Yes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
New BrunswickS5Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS3Yes
QuebecS3Yes
Prince Edward IslandS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (5)
Minnesota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Hegman LakesSuperior National Forest675
Tennessee (2)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Vermont (2)
AreaForestAcres
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
References (5)
  1. Beal, E.O. 1977. A manual of marsh and aquatic vascular plants of North Carolina with habitat data. NC Agric. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bull. 247. NC State Univ., Raleigh. 298 pp.
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2000. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 22. Magnoliophyta: Alismatidae, Arecidae, Commelinidae (in part), and Zingiberidae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiii + 352 pp.
  3. 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.
  4. Les, D. 2020. Aquatic Monocotyledons of North America: Ecology, Life History, and Systematics. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 568 pp.
  5. Native Plant Trust. 2025. Go Botany website. Online. Available: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org (accessed 2025).