Eriophorum tenellum

Illustrator: John Myers

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Plants colonial fron long-creeping rhizomes. Culms (10–)20–90 cm × 0.5–0.8(–1.5) mm, scabrous distally. Leaves: blades trigonous-channeled in cross section, to 45 cm × 1–1.5(–3) mm; distal leaf blade 3–25 cm × 1–1.5 mm, longer than its (1–)2.5–9 cm sheath. Inflorescences: blade-bearing involucral bracts solitary, similar to distal leaf, blade sometimes brown proximally, 0.8–6 cm. Spikelets (1–)2–7, in subumbels, ovoid, 7–10 mm in flower, 20–30 mm in fruit; peduncles 5–20(–60) mm, scabrous; scales green to red-brown to almost black, sometimes with green center, ovate-elliptic, 3–4.5 mm, scarious, margins narrow, to 0.2 mm, midrib prominent, fading distally or proximal scale with 2–4 thinner or equally prominent lateral ribs, apex obtuse. Flowers: perianth bristles 10 or more, cream, 10–20 mm, smooth; anthers 1–2 mm. Achenes narrowly obovoid, 2.5–3 mm.

Phenology: Fruiting summer.
Habitat: Bogs and wet, peaty substrates
Elevation: 0–500 m

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

St. Pierre and Miquelon, N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Conn., Maine, Mass., Mich., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Pa., R.I., Vt.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.