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BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary


Bolboschoenus fluviatilis
river bulrush

 
Scientific Name: Bolboschoenus fluviatilis (Torr.) Sojak
Scientific Name Synonyms: Scirpus fluviatilis
English Name: river bulrush
 
Classification / Taxonomy
Scientific Name - Concept Reference: Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Classification Level: Species
Species Group: Vascular Plant
Species Code: BOLBFLU
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
Plantae Anthophyta Monocotyledoneae Cyperales Cyperaceae
   
Conservation Status / Legal Designation
Global Status: G5 (Jul 2024)
Provincial Status: S2S3 (Apr 2019)
BC List: Blue
Provincial FRPA list:   
Provincial Wildlife Act:
COSEWIC Status:
SARA Schedule:
General Status Canada: 4 - Secure (2010)
   
Ecology & Life History
General Description:
Technical Description:
Similar Species:
Habitats:
(Type / Subtype / Dependence) 		Other Unique Habitats / Estuary / Facultative - frequent use
Riparian / Riparian Shrub / Facultative - frequent use
Wetland / Marsh / Obligate
Global Habitat Comments: Bolboschoenus fluviatilis grows in fresh shores, freshwater tidal marshes, inland marshes such as river marshes or marl marshes, and coastal estuaries (FNA 2002, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024).
Provincial Habitat Comments: Provincially Bolboschoenus fluviatilis grows on fine soils (silts, sands, and muds) in open habitats in shallow, standing, or very slow moving fresh water alongside small lakes or riverine oxbows. In other parts of its range in North America, habitats have been described as fresh to slightly brackish (Smith 2002) or fresh to brackish marshes, in quiet water, sometimes >1 m deep (Hitchcock and Cronquist 1973). In Kentucky where it is more widespread (Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission 2009), its habitat is listed as marshes, standing water, and fresh-tidal or freshwater shores, and riverbanks, although it is somewhat tolerant of alkali (a common feature on many of the dry interior BC wetlands). F. Lomer (pers. comm. 2010; relating information from G. Smith, an expert on this species in the United States) notes that river bulrush is apparently restricted to fresh water, inland habitats. In contrast, the habitats preferred by Bolboschoenus maritimus are brackish to saline (Smith 2002b).
Provincial Phenology:
(1st half of month/
2nd half of month)
Elevation (m) (min / max): Provincial: 
Known Pests:
Pollen Vector:
Pollinator:
Dispersal:
   
 
Provincial Inventory
Inventory Priority:
Ownership of occurrences (Known locations):
Inventory Need:
 
Economic Attributes
 
Distribution
Endemic: N
Global Range Comment: Bolboschoenus fluviatilis is a pantemperate species occurring in North America from New Brunswick and Quebec, Canada west to British Columbia south to Virginia, Alabama, Missouri west to Colorado, Arizona, and California in the United States, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand (FNA 2002).
Disjunct, more common elsewhere:
Peripheral, major distribution elsewhere:
 
Authors / Contributors
Global Information Author: Soteropoulos (2024)
Last Updated: Jul 18, 2024
Provincial Information Author:
Last Updated:
Last Literature Search:
   
References and Related Literature
Douglas, G.W., D. Meidinger, and J. Penny. 2002. Rare Native Vascular Plants of British Columbia, 2nd ed. B.C. Conserv. Data Centre, Terrestrial Inf. Branch, Victoria. 358pp.
Douglas, G.W., D. Meidinger, and J. Pojar, eds. 2001. Illustrated Flora of British Columbia, Vol. 6, Monocotyledons (Acoraceae through Najadaceae). B.C. Minist. Environ., Lands and Parks, and B.C. Minist. For., Victoria, BC. 361pp.
Duke, J.A. and Ayensu, E.S. 1985. Medicinal plants of China. Reference Publications Inc.
Espinar, J.L, K. Thompson, and L.V. García. 2005. Timing of seed dispersal generates a bimodal seed bank depth distribution. Am. J. of Bot. 92:1759-1763.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 23. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Cyperaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 608 pp.
Jarchow, M.E and B.J. Cook. 2009. Allelopathy as a mechanism for the invasion of Typha angustifolia. Plant Ecol. 204(1):113-124.
Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission. 2009. County report of endangered, threatened, and special concern plants, animals, and natural communities of Kentucky. Frankfort, KY. Internal publication.
Lavoie, C., M. Jean, F. Delisle, and G. Le´tourneau. 2003. Exotic plant species of the St. Lawrence River wetlands: a spatial and historical analysis. J. of Biogeography 30:537-549.
Smith, S.G. 2002b. Bolboschoenus (Ascherson) Palla. Pp. 37-44 in Flora of North America Editorial Committee. Flora of North America North of Mexico. Volume 23. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Cyperaceae. Oxford University Press, NY.
Tanner. C.C. 1996. Plants for constructed wetland treatment systems - a comparison of the growth and nutrient uptake of eight emergent species. Ecol. Eng. 7(1): 59-83.
Warren, J. and Associates. 2009. Freshwater wetland rehabilitation plan, Cokai Lakes; preferred project report. Report to Lena Manorstead PTY LTD.
Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.
Zdenka H., L. Moravcová, and P. Zákravský. 1997. Effect of anatomical structure on the buoyancy of achenes of two subspecies of Bolboschoenus maritimus. Folia Geobotanica. Available from: http:// www.springerlink.com/content/a48843wmn20nn556/ [accessed March, 2010].
 

Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.

Suggested Citation:

B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2024. Species Summary: Bolboschoenus fluviatilis. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 10, 2026).