The Unassuming Charm of Eleocharis: A Botanical Appreciation by Ferb Vu
I’ve always been drawn to the subtle beauty of the natural world, the intricate details that often go unnoticed. Lately, my attention has been captured by the genus Eleocharis, a group of plants commonly known as spikerushes or spikesedges. These seemingly simple plants, with their slender, grass-like forms and understated elegance, possess a unique charm that I find endlessly fascinating.
Eleocharis belongs to the sedge family, Cyperaceae, a diverse group that includes well-known plants like papyrus and cotton-grass. The name Eleocharis itself is derived from the Greek words “heleios,” meaning “marsh dweller,” and “charis,” meaning “grace,” perfectly encapsulating the essence of these plants. They are typically found in wet habitats such as marshes, bogs, and the edges of ponds and streams, their roots firmly anchored in the waterlogged soil.
What strikes me most about Eleocharis is its minimalist aesthetic. The plants lack the showy flowers of many other species, instead bearing their fruit in small, cone-like structures called spikelets at the tips of their stems. This simplicity, however, is precisely what I find so appealing. The clean lines and uncluttered forms of Eleocharis create a sense of tranquility and harmony, a reminder that beauty can be found in the most understated of things.
But don’t let their seemingly simple appearance fool you. Eleocharis plays a vital role in its ecosystem. These plants provide crucial habitat and food sources for a variety of wildlife, including birds, insects, and small mammals. They also help to stabilize shorelines, prevent erosion, and filter pollutants from the water, contributing to the overall health of the wetland environment.
One of the most well-known species within the genus is Eleocharis dulcis, commonly known as Chinese water chestnut. This particular species holds a special place in my heart, as it reminds me of my cultural heritage. The crisp, sweet tubers of this plant are a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine, often used in stir-fries, salads, and desserts. I fondly recall my grandmother adding them to her delicious spring rolls, their satisfying crunch adding a delightful textural element to the dish.
Beyond its culinary uses, Eleocharis dulcis also has a rich history in traditional medicine. In some cultures, it is believed to have cooling and diuretic properties, and is used to treat a variety of ailments, from fevers to urinary tract infections.
Diving Deeper: The Diversity of Eleocharis
The genus Eleocharis is remarkably diverse, encompassing over 250 species distributed across the globe. Each species has its own unique characteristics and adaptations, making the study of Eleocharis a truly rewarding pursuit. Some species, like Eleocharis acicularis, are delicate and hair-like, forming dense mats that resemble green carpets. Others, like Eleocharis palustris, are taller and more robust, their stems reaching upwards of a meter in height.
- Eleocharis abnorma Y.D.Chen
- Eleocharis acicularis (L.) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis acuta R.Br.
- Eleocharis acutangula (Roxb.) Schult.
- Eleocharis aestuum D.M.Hines ex A.Haines
- Eleocharis albibracteata Nees & Meyen ex Kunth
- Eleocharis albida Torr.
- Eleocharis alveolata Svenson
- Eleocharis alveolatoides S.González & Reznicek
- Eleocharis amazonica C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis andamanensis Govind.
- Eleocharis angolensis H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis angusticeps J.R.Carter & P.D.Lowe
- Eleocharis angustirostris R.Trevis. & Boldrini
- Eleocharis angustispicula R.Trevis.
- Eleocharis antunesii H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis argentina Barros
- Eleocharis argyrolepis Kierulff
- Eleocharis arsenifera S.González, Tena & T.Alarcón
- Eleocharis atricha R.Br.
- Eleocharis atrobrunnea R.Trevis. & S.González
- Eleocharis atropurpurea (Retz.) J.Presl & C.Presl
- Eleocharis atrospiculata S.González & Reznicek
- Eleocharis attenuata (Franch. & Sav.) Palla
- Eleocharis aurea Boeckeler
- Eleocharis ayacuchensis S.González & Reznicek
- Eleocharis bahamensis Boeckeler
- Eleocharis bahiensis D.A.Simpson
- Eleocharis baldwinii (Torr.) Chapm.
- Eleocharis barrosii Svenson
- Eleocharis bella (Piper) Svenson
- Eleocharis bernardina (Munz & I.M.Johnst.) Munz & I.M.Johnst.
- Eleocharis bifida S.G.Sm.
- Eleocharis blakeana L.A.S.Johnson & O.D.Evans
- Eleocharis bolanderi A.Gray
- Eleocharis bonariensis Nees
- Eleocharis brachycarpa Svenson
- Eleocharis brainii Svenson
- Eleocharis brasiliensis Boeckeler
- Eleocharis brassii S.T.Blake
- Eleocharis braunii H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis brevicollis J.Kern
- Eleocharis brittonii Svenson ex Small
- Eleocharis bulbosa Kukkonen
- Eleocharis caduca (Delile) Schult.
- Eleocharis caespitosissima Baker
- Eleocharis callensii H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis cancellata S.Watson
- Eleocharis canindeyuensis Mereles & S.González
- Eleocharis capillacea Kunth
- Eleocharis carniolica W.D.J.Koch
- Eleocharis cellulosa Torr.
- Eleocharis chamaegyne L.T.Eiten
- Eleocharis × choseiensis Yashiro
- Eleocharis coloradoensis (Britton) Gilly
- Eleocharis columbiensis L.E.Mora
- Eleocharis complanata Boeckeler
- Eleocharis compressa Sull.
- Eleocharis confervoides (Poir.) Steud.
- Eleocharis congesta D.Don
- Eleocharis contracta Maury ex Micheli
- Eleocharis cordillerana S.González, Guagl. & Ruthsatz
- Eleocharis coronata Steud.
- Eleocharis crinalis (Griseb.) C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis crispovaginata Boeckeler
- Eleocharis cryptica Saarela, P.M.Peterson, S.González & D.J.Rosen
- Eleocharis cuatrecasasii S.González & P.M.Peterson
- Eleocharis cubangensis H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis cylindrica Buckley
- Eleocharis cylindrostachys Boeckeler
- Eleocharis debilis Kunth
- Eleocharis decoriglumis Berhaut
- Eleocharis decumbens C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis deightonii S.S.Hooper
- Eleocharis densa Benth.
- Eleocharis densicaespitosa R.Trevis. & Boldrini
- Eleocharis diandra S.H.Wright
- Eleocharis dietrichiana Boeckeler
- Eleocharis difformis S.T.Blake
- Eleocharis divaricata M.Keskin
- Eleocharis dombeyana Kunth
- Eleocharis dregeana Steud.
- Eleocharis dulcis (Burm.f.) Trin. ex Hensch.
- Eleocharis dunensis Kük.
- Eleocharis eglerioides S.González & Reznicek
- Eleocharis elegans (Kunth) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis elliptica Kunth
- Eleocharis elongata Chapm.
- Eleocharis emarginata (Nees) Klotzsch ex Boeckeler
- Eleocharis endounifascis Hinchliff & Roalson
- Eleocharis engelmannii Steud.
- Eleocharis equisetiformis (Meinsh.) B.Fedtsch.
- Eleocharis equisetoides (Elliott) Torr.
- Eleocharis erhaiensis Y.D.Chen
- Eleocharis erythropoda Steud.
- Eleocharis exigua (Kunth) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis fallax Weath.
- Eleocharis fassettii S.González & P.M.Peterson
- Eleocharis fennica Palla ex Kneuck.
- Eleocharis filiculmis Kunth
- Eleocharis flavescens (Poir.) Urb.
- Eleocharis fluctuans (L.T.Eiten) Roalson & Hinchliff
- Eleocharis fuscopurpurea (Steud.) H.Pfeiff.
- Eleocharis geniculata (L.) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis glabella Y.D.Chen
- Eleocharis glauca Boeckeler
- Eleocharis glaucovirens Boeckeler
- Eleocharis gonzaleziae D.J.Rosen
- Eleocharis gossweileri H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis gracilis R.Br.
- Eleocharis grandirostris (Lindm.) Mereles
- Eleocharis grisea Kük.
- Eleocharis grossimucronata Mereles
- Eleocharis guaglianoniana J.P.R.Ferreira, Silv.Venturi & R.Trevis.
- Eleocharis hatschbachii R.Trevis.
- Eleocharis haumaniana Barros
- Eleocharis hooperiana D.J.Rosen
- Eleocharis ignota S.González & Reznicek
- Eleocharis × inaequilatera D.J.Rosen & Chr.Reid
- Eleocharis intermedia Schult.
- Eleocharis interstincta (Vahl) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis jacobsiana K.L.Wilson
- Eleocharis jelskiana Boeckeler
- Eleocharis kamtschatica (C.A.Mey.) Kom.
- Eleocharis keigheryi K.L.Wilson
- Eleocharis khandwaensis Mujaffar, Chandore & S.R.Yadav
- Eleocharis kleinii Barros
- Eleocharis klingei (Meinsh.) B.Fedtsch.
- Eleocharis knutei Pabón & Zavaro
- Eleocharis konkanensis Chandore, Borude, Kambale & S.R.Yadav
- Eleocharis koyamae Tremetsb. & D.A.Simpson
- Eleocharis kuoi Y.D.Chen
- Eleocharis kuroguwai Ohwi
- Eleocharis laeviglumis R.Trevis. & Boldrini
- Eleocharis laeviseta Nakai
- Eleocharis lanceolata Fernald
- Eleocharis lankana T.Koyama
- Eleocharis lechleri Boeckeler
- Eleocharis lepta C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis liesneri S.González & Reznicek
- Eleocharis limosa (Schrad.) Schult.
- Eleocharis liogieri T.Koyama
- Eleocharis liouana Tang & F.T.Wang
- Eleocharis loefgreniana Boeckeler
- Eleocharis lundellii Svenson
- Eleocharis macbarronii K.L.Wilson
- Eleocharis × macounii Fernald
- Eleocharis macrantha Boeckeler
- Eleocharis macrostachya Britton
- Eleocharis maculosa (Vahl) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis maidenii Kük.
- Eleocharis mamillata (H.Lindb.) H.Lindb.
- Eleocharis margaritacea (Hultén) Miyabe & Kudô
- Eleocharis marginulata Hochst. ex Steud.
- Eleocharis maximowiczii Zinserl.
- Eleocharis melanocarpa Torr.
- Eleocharis melanomphala C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis melanostachys (d’Urv.) C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis mendocina Phil.
- Eleocharis microcarpa Torr.
- Eleocharis microformis Buckley
- Eleocharis microlepis (Griseb.) D.A.Simpson
- Eleocharis migoana Ohwi & T.Koyama
- Eleocharis minarum Boeckeler
- Eleocharis minima Kunth
- Eleocharis minuta Boeckeler
- Eleocharis minutiflora Boeckeler
- Eleocharis minutissima Britton
- Eleocharis mitracarpa Steud.
- Eleocharis monantha Nelmes
- Eleocharis montana (Kunth) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis montevidensis Kunth
- Eleocharis moorei M.T.Strong & S.González
- Eleocharis moraosejoana S.González, C.Ulloa & P.M.Peterson
- Eleocharis morroi D.A.Simpson
- Eleocharis multicaulis (Sm.) Desv.
- Eleocharis multinerviglumis C.S.Nunes, A.Gil & R.Trevis.
- Eleocharis mutata (L.) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis × myogiensis Yashiro
- Eleocharis nana Kunth
- Eleocharis × naritaensis Yashiro
- Eleocharis naumanniana Boeckeler
- Eleocharis neesii R.Trevis. & Boldrini
- Eleocharis neglecta Borude, Chandore, Gholave & S.R.Yadav
- Eleocharis neozelandica C.B.Clarke ex T.Kirk.
- Eleocharis niederleinii Boeckeler
- Eleocharis nigrescens (Nees) Kunth
- Eleocharis nipponica Makino
- Eleocharis nitida Fernald
- Eleocharis nuda C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis nudipes (Kunth) Palla
- Eleocharis nupeensis Hutch.
- Eleocharis obicis L.A.S.Johnson & O.D.Evans
- Eleocharis obpyriformis D.A.Simpson
- Eleocharis obtusa (Willd.) Schult.
- Eleocharis obtusetrigona (Lindl. & Nees) Steud.
- Eleocharis occidentalis Mereles
- Eleocharis occulta S.G.Sm.
- Eleocharis ochrostachys Steud.
- Eleocharis oligantha C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis olivaceonux D.A.Simpson
- Eleocharis onthitensis H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis ovata (Roth) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis oxylepis (Meinsh.) B.Fedtsch.
- Eleocharis pachycarpa É.Desv.
- Eleocharis pachystyla (C.Wright) C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis pallens S.T.Blake
- Eleocharis palustris (L.) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis papillosa Latz
- Eleocharis paradoxa Y.D.Chen
- Eleocharis parishii Britton
- Eleocharis parodii Barros
- Eleocharis parvinux Ohwi
- Eleocharis parvispicula R.Trevis. & Boldrini
- Eleocharis parvula (Roem. & Schult.) Link ex Bluff, Nees & Schauer
- Eleocharis pauciglumis R.Trevis. & D.J.Rosen
- Eleocharis pedrovianae C.S.Nunes, R.Trevis. & A.Gil
- Eleocharis pellucida J.Presl & C.Presl
- Eleocharis penchaoi Y.D.Chen
- Eleocharis petasata (Maxim.) Zinserl.
- Eleocharis philippinensis Svenson
- Eleocharis plana S.T.Blake
- Eleocharis platypus C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis plicarhachis (Griseb.) Svenson
- Eleocharis pseudoalbibracteata S.González & Guagl.
- Eleocharis pseudobulbosa T.Lima, A.Gil & R.Trevis.
- Eleocharis pseudofistulosa H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis punctulata Boeckeler ex Duss
- Eleocharis pusilla R.Br.
- Eleocharis qinghaiensis Y.D.Chen
- Eleocharis quadrangulata (Michx.) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis quinqueflora (Hartmann) O.Schwarz
- Eleocharis rabenii Boeckeler
- Eleocharis ramboana R.Trevis. & Boldrini
- Eleocharis ramboi H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis ranganathensis Viji, G.C.Tucker, Deepu & Pandur.
- Eleocharis ravenelii Britton
- Eleocharis reichei Boeckeler
- Eleocharis retroflexa (Poir.) Urb.
- Eleocharis reverchonii Svenson
- Eleocharis reznicekii S.González, D.J.Rosen, R.Carter & P.M.Peterson
- Eleocharis riograndensis R.Trevis. & Boldrini
- Eleocharis rivalis K.L.Wilson
- Eleocharis robbinsii Oakes
- Eleocharis robusta (Boeckeler) H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis rojasiana Mereles
- Eleocharis rostellata (Torr.) Torr.
- Eleocharis rugosa D.A.Simpson
- Eleocharis rzedowskii S.González
- Eleocharis sanguinolenta K.L.Wilson
- Eleocharis schaffneri Boeckeler
- Eleocharis schenckii Boeckeler
- Eleocharis schlechteri C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis sellowiana Kunth
- Eleocharis setifolia (A.Rich.) J.Raynal
- Eleocharis setulosa P.C.Li
- Eleocharis sphacelata R.Br.
- Eleocharis spiralis (Rottb.) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis spongostyla H.E.Hess
- Eleocharis squamata Boeckeler
- Eleocharis squamigera Svenson
- Eleocharis starczenkoae A.E.Kozhevn.
- Eleocharis steinbachii D.J.Rosen
- Eleocharis stenocarpa Svenson
- Eleocharis steyermarkii S.González & Reznicek
- Eleocharis × subangulata T.Koyama
- Eleocharis subarticulata (Nees) Boeckeler
- Eleocharis subcancellata C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis subfoliata C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis suksdorfiana Beauverd
- Eleocharis sundaica J.Kern
- Eleocharis svensoniana S.González
- Eleocharis swamyi Govind.
- Eleocharis tenarum S.González & M.González
- Eleocharis tenuiculmis D.J.Rosen
- Eleocharis tenuis (Willd.) Schult.
- Eleocharis tetraquetra Nees
- Eleocharis tiarata Gómez-Laur.
- Eleocharis torticulmis S.G.Sm.
- Eleocharis tortilis (Link) Schult.
- Eleocharis tricostata Torr.
- Eleocharis trilateralis Tang & F.T.Wang
- Eleocharis trilophus C.B.Clarke
- Eleocharis triquetra K.L.Wilson
- Eleocharis tuberculosa (Michx.) Roem. & Schult.
- Eleocharis tucumanensis Barros
- Eleocharis tuvinica Bubnova
- Eleocharis uniflora O.Seberg
- Eleocharis uniglumis (Link) Schult.
- Eleocharis urbanii Boeckeler
- Eleocharis urceolata (Liebm.) Svenson
- Eleocharis urceolatoides R.Trevis. & Boldrini
- Eleocharis ussuriensis Zinserl.
- Eleocharis usterii Palla
- Eleocharis variegata (Poir.) C.Presl
- Eleocharis venezuelensis S.González & Reznicek
- Eleocharis viridans Kük. ex Osten
- Eleocharis vivipara Link
- Eleocharis wadoodii S.R.Yadav, Lekhak & Chandore
- Eleocharis welwitschii Nelmes
- Eleocharis wichurae Boeckeler
- Eleocharis wilkensii Schuyler
- Eleocharis wolfii (A.Gray) A.Gray ex Britton
- Eleocharis yecorensis Roalson
- Eleocharis × yezoensis H.Hara
- Eleocharis yokoscensis (Franch. & Sav.) Tang & F.T.Wang
- Eleocharis yunnanensis Svenson
The Importance of Preservation
As with so many other plant species, Eleocharis faces threats from habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. It’s crucial that we recognize the importance of these often-overlooked plants and take steps to protect them. By preserving wetland habitats, reducing our environmental impact, and promoting sustainable practices, we can ensure that future generations will continue to appreciate the unassuming charm of Eleocharis.
For me, Eleocharis serves as a constant reminder that beauty can be found in the simplest of things. These plants, with their quiet elegance and ecological significance, have enriched my understanding of the natural world and deepened my appreciation for the intricate web of life. I encourage everyone to take a closer look at the world around them and discover the hidden wonders that await, perhaps even in the unassuming form of a spikerush.
