Scirpus americanus  Pers.   =S. olneyi A. Gray   Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)   Native   Olney's Bulrush   Three-square

                                           July Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Perennial with long rhizomes; culms stout, sharply triangular, the sides concave, 5-22 dm. tall; leaf blades short, 2-13 cm. long, reduced to basal sheaths; involucral lf. short erect, 1-3 cm. long, appearing as a continuation of the culm; infl. a capitate cluster of 5-12 spikelets; spikelets ovoid, 5-8 mm. long; scales flecked with brown, short awned; bristles 4-6, unequal, from shorter than to equaling the achene; ak. lenticular, mucronate, light brown or gray, minutely pitted, 2.5 mm. long.

Habitat:  Widespread in marshy places below 3000 feet; Coastal Sage Scrub to Chaparral and Creosote Bush Scrub; San Nicolas Id.; throughout temp. N. America and S. Am. June-Aug.

Name:  Latin, scirpus, the classical name.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 902).  Olneyi is in honor of Stephen Olney, (1812-1878), Rhode Island woolen manufacturer and botanist.  His special study was the genus Carex.  (Jaeger 313).  Americanus, American (Bailey 10).

General:  Very common in the study area, although not as common as S. californicus.  In Upper Newport Bay, this plant is usually associated with fresh water environments, however, at least one population exits below the line of highest tide and this is along the path from Delhi to 23rd St. Photographed at 23rd St. and the Santa Ana Heights Flats.  (my comments).      Although the roots of all the species are edible, some are better than others.  The roots are quite starchy and may be eaten raw or baked, dried, or ground into a nutritious white flour.  Young roots, when crushed and boiled, yield a sweet syrup.  The pollen may be pressed into cakes and baked.  The seeds may be used whole, parched, ground into mush, etc.  The base of the stems particularly the young autumn stem tips, next to the ground, may be eaten raw and are quite thirst-quenching.  The long culms were used by Indians in mat-weaving.  (Kirk 176).       The names Scirpus americanus and Scirpus pungens are usually applied to the same species by Cyperologists (Bettle, 1947; Koyama, 1963).  The former name for plants commonly known as Three-square in North America presently receives widespread usage because of priority.  Data from type specimens and original descriptions now make it apparent that these names should be applied to different species.  The type of S. americanus is conspecific with plants usually treated as S. olneyi.  The type of S. pungens is conspecific with plants usually treated as S. americanus.....Thus the correct name for plants usually treated as S. olneyi is S. americanus and the correct name for plants usually treated as S. americanus is S. pungens.  (Schuyler, Alfred E.  "Typification and Application of the Names Scirpus Americanus Pers., S. Olneyi Gray, and S. Pungens Vahl."  Rhodora date, 51-52.         See S. californicus for Cahuilla Indian uses of bulrush species.     The Chumash Indians of the Santa Barbara region made mats using Scirpus olneyi and Scirpus californicus and Scirpus acutus.  The mats were used in the construction of housing. (Campbell 169).      S. olneyi misapplied.  Hybridizes with S. pungens.  (Hickman, Ed. 1147).

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed. 1147; Munz, Calif. Flora 1417; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 903; Roberts 43.

Photo Ref:  July 1 84 # 4; June 88 # 12; June-Aug 98 # 4.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by F. Roberts.

First Found:  July 1984.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 26.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 6/8/04.

                                            June Photo