Introductory
SPECIES: Scirpus americanus | Olney Threesquare 



ABBREVIATION : 
SCIAME

SYNONYMS : 
   Scirpus olneyi
   Schoenoplectus americanus (Pers.) Volk [34]

SCS PLANT CODE : 
   SCAM2


COMMON NAMES : 
   Olney threesquare
   Olney's three-square
   Olney bulrush
   Olney's tule
   three-cornered grass
   three-cornered sedge
   three square sedge
   bayonet rush


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name of Olney threesquare is Scirpus
americanus Pers. [6,10,31].  It is a member of the sedge family,
Cyperaceae.

The taxonomy of Olney threesquare is somewhat confusing because of the
consistent misapplication of scientific names within the genus for many
years.  Until about 1975, Olney threesquare and a closely related
bulrush were treated as follows:

   S. olneyi Gray = Olney threesquare or Olney bulrush
   S. americanus Pers. = common threesquare or American bulrush

However, Schuyler [24] pointed out that the application of these names
is incorrect because the type speciman of plants usually treated as S.
americanus is conspecific with plants treated as S. olneyi, and the type
of S. pungens is conspecific with plants treated as S. americanus.
Therefore, the correct taxonomy is:  plants usually treated as S. onleyi
= S. americanus Pers., and plants usually treated as S. americanus = S.
pungens Vahl.

Although these changes are incorporated into recently published floras,
the names are still misapplied in much of the scientific literature.
Readers of scientific literature need to be cautious when encountering
the latin name S. americanus because of its inconsistent usage.


LIFE FORM : 
Graminoid

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
No special status

OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
Ronald Uchytil, October 1992


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
NO-ENTRY


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Uchytil, Ronald J. 1992. Scirpus americanus. In: Remainder of Citation

Related categories for Species: Scirpus americanus | Olney Threesquare