Scirpus maritimus  L.   =S. pacificus   Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)   Native   Pacific Coast Bulrush   Alkali Bulrush

                                         August Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Perennial by rootstocks, culm stout, roughish above, trigonous, 3-6 dm. tall; lvs. 10 mm. wide or less, the longer often equaling the culm, those of the involucre 2-5, at least one of them usually longer than the inflorescence; sheath top opposite blade with V-shaped veinless area; rays of the umbel 1-3, stout, 7 cm. long or less, or wanting and the spikelets densely clustered; spikelets ovoid, obtuse, 1-2 cm. long, about 6 mm. thick; scales brown, ovate, puberulent, tipped with a recurved awn 2-4 mm. long, bristles shorter than the achene; stamens 3; achene orbicular-obovate, cuneate at the base, smooth, somewhat shining, about 3 mm. long.

Habitat: Saline marshes, along the coast, Sonoran and Transition Zones; southern California to Washington.  No bloom period given in Abrams.  The photo dates show a bloom period of at least May-Sept.  (my comment).

Name:  Latin, scirpus, the classical name.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 902).  Latin, maritimus, of or belonging to the sea.  (Jaeger 150).

General:  Moderately common in the study area.  For a long time I considered this and S. robustus to be the same species and, therefore, have not kept the usual mental account of where the plant is found.  Found mostly above the tidal zone but there is at least one colony within the tidal zone and this is along the path from 23rd St. to Mariners Dr. Photographed along the path from 23rd Street to Mariners Dr. and along Back Bay Dr. at the seep just before the road terminates into Eastbluff Dr.  One of the native halophytes found in Upper Newport Bay. (my comments).      The Cahuilla, Indians of the Colorado Desert, the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains ground the white, starchy tuberous roots of bulrushes into sweet tasting flour.  Seeds were gathered and eaten raw or ground into mush.  Cakes were made of bulrush pollen.  The stalks were used for bedding, mats, weaving materials, and roofing.  (Bean & Saubel 139).       Scirpus species have been known to cause hay fever and asthma.  (Fuller 382).

Text Ref:  Abrams Vol. I 275;  Hickman, Ed. 1147;  Roberts 43.

Photo Ref: Sept 83 #?; June 86 # 11; June 88 # 9A,10A; April-May 94 # 24A; June-Aug 98 # 21.

Identity: by R. De Ruff.  

First Found:  September 1983.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 335.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 6/8/04.  

                               June Photo                                                                               May Photo

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