Butomus umbellatus

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Flowering rush
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Butomaceae
Genus: Butomus
Species:
B. umbellatus
Binomial name
Butomus umbellatus
L.
Synonyms[1]
  • Butomus caesalpini Neck.
  • Butomus floridus Gaertn.
  • Butomus scutariensis Rohlena
  • Butomus vulgaris Gueldenst.

Butomus umbellatus is a

perennial aquatic plant. Its name is derived from Greek bous, meaning "cow", "ox" etc. and tome, a cut (the verb 'temnein' meaning "to cut"), which refers to the plant's swordlike leaves.[5]

Description

In contrast to what its English name suggests, it is not a true rush. It is native to Old World continents and grows on the margins of still and slowly moving water down to a depth of about 3 m. It has pink flowers.

The plant has linear, pointed leaves up to 1 metre long, or more. The leaves are triangular in cross-section and arise in two rows along the

parallel veined and twisted.[5][7]

The

carpel wall, except on the midrib and edges. Fruit is a follicle. The seeds have no endosperm, and a straight embryo. It flowers from July until August.[5]

Spread

Butomus umbellatus is native to Eurasia and was first found in Canada in the late 1800s and in the United States in the early 1900s. The first discovery in North America was in the

ballast water.[8]

This plant spreads mostly from its rhizomes and occurs in wet areas with muddy soil, such as freshwater marshlands, lakes and streams. Butomus umbellatus will out compete native vegetation. It can also create dense root structures that become hazards for boat traffic. It is tolerant of a wide range of temperatures which gave it the potential to invade across much of the United States.

Butomus umbellatus is listed as a prohibited species in Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois, and as a restricted species (but still available) in Wisconsin[9]

State/Province First Observed
IN 1952
MI 1905
MN 2012
NY 1929
OH 1933
ONT 2011
PA 1941
QUE 1897
VT 1927
WI 1975

Uses

Butomus umbellatus is cultivated as an ornamental waterside plant.[10]

In parts of Russia the rhizomes are used as food.

References

  1. ^ The Plant List, Butomus umbellatus L.
  2. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Butomus umbellatus". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  3. ^ "Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) Ecological Risk Screening Summary" (PDF). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-07-02. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  4. ^ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map Image
  5. ^ a b c d "Butomus umbellatus in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  6. ^ Natural World Magazine, Spring 2009, The Wildlife Trust, published by Think publishing
  7. ISBN 978-0-7232-5175-0
    .
  8. ^ "Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus)". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  9. ^ Laboratory, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research. "NOAA National Center for Research on Aquatic Invasive Species (NCRAIS)". nas.er.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
  10. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Butomus umbellatus". Retrieved 23 February 2020.

External links

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