Botany
Eriophorum vaginatum
Eriophorum vaginatum is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family Cyperaceae. It occurs throughout the subarctic and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It prefers wet, acidic, peaty soil and is often dominant in bogs, poor fens, and the Arctic tundra regions of northern Russia and Canada. The specific epithet vaginatum, which means "having a sheath", refers to an important character used to recognize this species. Both the scientific name Eriophorum vaginatum and the common name sheathed cottonsedge emphasize this fact. In Britain and Ireland (and elsewhere), the species is referred to as hare's-tail cottongrass (or simply hare's-tail). The name tussock cottongrass gained in popularity after its publication in Flora of North America in 2002. Eriophorum vaginatum is a member of the unispicate group of cottongrasses since it has one (not multiple) spikelets. It is similar in appearance to the unispicate species Eriophorum brachyantherum and Eriophorum callitrix, all three of which have densely tufted stems. Eriophorum vaginatum is distinguished by having spreading scales at the base of the inflorescence, a conspicuously inflated sheath on its flowering stem, and a tussock-forming growth habit. Some botanists recognize two (or even three) subspecies. One of those subspecies, Eriophorum vaginatum subsp. spissum, is widespread throughout northeastern North America but the full extent of its range is unknown. It differs from the typical subspecies based on the shape of its spikelet, the color of its scales, and length of its anthers. In Canada, the subspecies is known as dense cottongrass, a characteristic that is likewise true of all subspecies.
Also on this shelf
Enceliopsis.
Arctopus.
See also
Uncatalogued shelfText from Wikipedia; plate via Wikimedia Commons. Text CC BY-SA 4.0; plate freely licensed (see Commons). Source record. Images and catalogue data are reproduced from open-access collections.