Search / Plant Profile / Scirpus hallii

Plant Profile

Hall's Bulrush (Scirpus hallii)

This shot shows the habitat of Hall's bulrush. Photo Credit: Susanne Masi

Global Rank: G3 - Vulnerable
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Cyperaceae
State: GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MI, MO, NE, OH, OK, SC, TX, WI
Nature Serve ID: 140335
Lifeform: Graminoid
Date Inducted in National Collection:

Description:

Scirpus hallii, a delicate annual sedge, is a very specialized plant with a narrow habitat tolerance. It is generally found on bare, moist sandy shores of ponds where the water levels fluctuate. It is believed that the changes in water level favor the germination of the plant's seed and also act as a barrier to competition from other plants that cannot survive such changes.

Where is Hall's Bulrush (Scirpus hallii) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Scirpus hallii occurs on sandy substrates such as the sandy borders of ponds or lakeshores. The fluctuating water table in these habitats maintain favorable conditions for the persistence of this and other similar species (Bowles 1990). Seeds germinate in areas around the pond where the soil is moist and exposed, with little competition from perennials.Scirpus hallii is, however, associated with several other plant species: Agrotis spp., Alisma spp., Ammania coccinea, Bacopa spp., Cyperus spp., Echinochloa spp., Eleocharis spp., Fimbristylis autumnalis (L) Roemer & Schultes,., Heterantha spp., Hypericum spp., Isoetes spp., Juncus, Leersia, Lindernia spp., Liporcarphs micrantha, Ludwigia spp., Lycopus spp.; Polygonum spp., Rhexia spp., Rhynchospora spp., Rorippa spp., Rotala ramosior (l.) Koehne, Sagittaria spp., Schoenoplectus spp., scirpus spp., Typha spp., and Xyris. Of these species, Echinodorus tenellus (parvulus) is endangered in the Midwestern States and is of special concern to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

Distribution:

Scirpus hallii has a large but discontinuous range; it occurs in discrete, scattered populations ranging from the Great Lake States east to Massachusetts, south to Texas and as far west as Kansas.

States & Provinces:

Hall's Bulrush can be found in Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin

Which CPC Partners conserve Hall's Bulrush (Scirpus hallii)?

Botanical Research Institute of Texas / Fort Worth Botanic Garden

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

Missouri Botanical Garden

Conservation Actions

09/27/2020

Experiments in stimulating seed germination by manipulating various levels of chemicals, water levels and temperature have been conducted by Baskin and Baskin since 1991.

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

Known from widely disjunct localities in the eastern and midwestern United States, but rare throughout its range. Declining due to habitat destruction. Threatened by groundwater depletion, alterations to hydrology, wetland destruction due to development, and off-road vehicle use.? Other threats include exotic plant species, woody plant encroachment, herbicide use, excessive grazing, predation from mute swans and Canada geese, population isolation, loss of seed bank integrity, hybridization with Schoenoplectus saximontanus, and climate change resulting in increased drought.

Andrea Tietmeyer, Kim Taylor

01/01/2010

Invasion by the exotic purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) Wetland destruction and alteration Predation from mute swans and Canadian Geese Most (87%) of populations are on private land and are not protected (McKenzie 1998). Long-term successio

Andrea Tietmeyer, Kim Taylor

01/01/2010

Two colonies form a population at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (Bowles 1990). Twenty seven populations in Illinois (Robertson and Phillipe 1993). Two Populations in Michigan (Robertson and Phillipe 1993). Three populations in Missouri (Robertson and Phillipe 1994). According to McKenzie (1998) populations have been found in Alexander, Cass, Kankakee, Mason and Morgan Counties of Illinois; Porter County, Indiana; Reno County, Kansas; Christian County, Kentucky; Howell and Scott Counties in Missouri and Dane County, Wisconsin since 1993. O'Kennon and McLemore (2004) discovered a population in several ponds in the Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands in Wise County, Texas.

Andrea Tietmeyer, Kim Taylor

01/01/2010

Experiments in stimulating seed germination by manipulating various levels of chemicals, water levels and temperature have been conducted by Baskin and Baskin since 1991.

Andrea Tietmeyer, Kim Taylor

01/01/2010

Most sites containing Scirpus hallii are not under a management plan and receive no government protection.

Andrea Tietmeyer, Kim Taylor

01/01/2010

Management plans for Scirpus hallii will most likely be different from other endangered or rare species for two important reasons. First, land having Scirpus hallii populations needs to be purchased so that populations can be monitored and protected. Second, population protection and management needs to consider succession regulation in such a way that open sandy spaces can be maintained (Robertson and Phillipe 1993). Field research is also needed to assess the community characteristics and ecological associates of Scirpus hallii (isn't this listed above).

Andrea Tietmeyer, Kim Taylor

01/01/2010

Of particular interest would be the continued work in seed banking and germination in relation to water fluctuation. Such information would be useful in determining population distribution. Mechanisms controlling seed germination (limitations on seed viability) and development of mature plants are still unclear (McKenzie 1998).