Species Factsheets
Scheuchzeria palustris
Pod-grass
State Status: Pennsylvania Endangered (PE)
PBS Status: Pennsylvania Endangered (PE)
Federal Status:
Global Rank: G5
rank interpretation
State Rank: S1
Did You Know?
If the raw fruit of this species were to be squeezed it would give off a pool like, chlorine smell.
Description
Pod-grass (Scheuchzeria palstris) is a perennial grass-like plant, greatly resembling a rush (Juncus sp.), with a zig-zag stem that may grow to 1.5m in height. The plant often forms colonies because of the presence of wide-spreading underground stems, or rhizomes. The hairless leaves are alternately arranged, consisting of a prominent basal sheathing portion that envelopes the stem and a linear and elongate, ascending blade that is 5-30cm in length and less than 1-4mm in width. The most distinctive leaf feature may be the presence of a small pore-like opening just below the tip. The minute flowers, appearing in late May to July, are greenish and often tinged with yellow or red, 2-4mm in length, and occur in stalked clusters above the leaves. The plant gets its common name, and is probably most conspicuous, in the fruiting stage, which consists of a dry pod, typically grouped in threes and connected at their bases, containing small seeds.
Rank Justification
Critically imperiled in the nation or state because of extreme rarity (often 5 or fewer occurrences) or because of some factor(s) such as very steep declines making it especially vulnerable to extirpation from the state.
Habitat
Pod-grass has a transcontinental range across the cooler regions of North America. In Pennsylvania, it represents a northerly species, and has been documented historically mostly in the northern counties. It grows in bogs and peaty wetlands.
Survey Dates
Flowers, fruits late June - early August
Distribution
![Pod-grass"](images/Range_Maps/Scheuchzeria palustris.jpg)
Threats
The viability of populations of pod-grass and its habitat may be enhanced by creating buffers and protecting the natural hydrology surrounding wetlands and controlling invasive species. Pod-grass is often an indicator for bog habitats that may feature various orchids, insectivorous plants such as sundew, bladderwort, and pitcher plant, and other interesting species.
Conservation Status Map
![Map Legend](images/mapsRegion/distribution_map_legend.gif)
NatureServe. 2017. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org.
https://www.luontoportti.com/suomi/en/kukkakasvit/rannoch-rush
- NatureServe. 2018. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available at https://www.natureserve.org/explorer
- Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program. 2018.
- Rhoads, A.F. and W.M. Klein, Jr. 1993. The Vascular Flora of Pennsylvania. American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rhoads, A.F. and T.A. Block.
- 2007. The Plants of Pennsylvania: An Illustrated Manual. 2nd edition. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.