Scirpus expansus

Fern.

Woodland Bulrush

G4Apparently Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.140364
Element CodePMCYP0Q0M0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyCyperaceae
GenusScirpus
Other Common Names
Scirpe étalé (FR) woodland bulrush (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 Date2024-03-29
Change Date1988-02-11
Edition Date2024-03-29
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Scirpus expansus is a perennial graminoid in bogs, fens, marshes, wet meadows, and streambeds in eastern North America from Nova Scotia and Ontario in Canada south into the United States from Maine west to Michigan south to Georgia and Alabama. It faces threats from succession, alteration of hydrology, invasive species, water pollution, deer herbivory, recreation, flooding and storm surge, development, and other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and between 100 and 200 occurrences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Scirpus expansus occurs in eastern North America from Nova Scotia (possibly extirpated) and Ontario in Canada and south into the United States from Maine west to Michigan south to Georgia and Alabama. Range extent was estimated to be over 950,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are approximately 100 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Scirpus expansus is threatened by succession, alteration of hydrology, invasive species, water pollution, deer herbivory, recreation, flooding and storm surge, development, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species (NatureServe 2024).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Scirpus expansus grows in "bogs, fens, marshes, streambeds" (Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2023) and wet meadows (FNA 2002).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDBog/fen
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN1
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS1Yes
Nova ScotiaSHYes
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
VermontS4Yes
West VirginiaS4Yes
MarylandS3Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
IndianaS1Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
New YorkS4Yes
OhioS3Yes
South CarolinaS2Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
DelawareS2Yes
GeorgiaS2Yes
MassachusettsSNRYes
New JerseyS3Yes
North CarolinaS3Yes
MichiganSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS4Yes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
KentuckyS1Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
Threat Assessments

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
North Carolina (2)
AreaForestAcres
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
References (7)
  1. 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.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. 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.
  5. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  7. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.