Skye Flora

Slender Spike-rush


Eleocharis uniglumis

 

Eleocharis uniglumis

Photo © Carl Farmer
14 May 2003 Skeabost
Spike c 5 mm long

Frequent in salt-marshes and possible on inland marshes where not too acid.

Spike c 5-12 mm long.

Skye ID: Has a single short sterile (sometimes greenish) glume at base of spike, the very base of this glume almost encircling the spike base (examine several).  The next lowest glume is normal size and shape and is fertile.  Like E palustris, and unlike the other two E species, has 2 stigmas per flower, topmost sheath almost horizontally cut, and dark-reddish lower sheaths.  But E palustris has 2 short green sterile glumes at base of spike, neither circling it much more than halfway.

Other features: Spike has c 10-30 flowers.  Hybridises with E palustris so intermediates may be found.

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Eleocharis uniglumis

Photo © Carl Farmer
14 May 2003 Skeabost
 

The reddish lower sheaths are very conspicuous and are cut quite obliquely, but the pale topmost sheaths are cut almost squarely, several can be seen in this picture.