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Schoenoplectus californicus

Schoenoplectus californicus

(C.A. Mey.)
Junco

Family: Cyperaceae
Order: Poales
Class: Liliopsida
Phylum / Division: Magnoliophyta
Kingdom: Plantae

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Synonyms: Scirpus californicus.





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Records from San Nicolás de los Arroyos


Description


Schoeneoplectus californicus is a species of sedge known by the common names California bulrush, southern bulrush and giant bulrush. It is also sometimes called "tule", but the closely related Schoenoplectus acutus is the species most often referred to by that name.

 Schoenoplectus californicus is a rhizomed water plant found in marshy areas. It is native to the southern and western United States as well as Mexico, Central America, South America, Easter Island, and the Falkland Islands. It is naturalized on some Pacific islands including New Zealand, Hawaii and the Cook Islands. It has tall, thin, dark green stems which are usually triangular in cross-section and woolly, bristly tan or brown flowers in panicle inflorescences.

Uses: A notable subspecies is the totora, Schoenoplectus californicus subsp. tatora. This is famous for making up the floating islands on which the Uros people of Lake Titicaca dwell, as well as occurring on isolated Easter Island in the Pacific.

Boats have also been made from this plant by many cultures, including the Caballito de totora in Peru for over 3,000 years. The plants are still farmed in wetlands next to the sea for the boats, and there is also an ecological reserve that specifically protects these sedge farms called the Swamps of Huanchaco.

Source: Wikipedia, article Schoenoplectus californicus. Content adapted from Wikipedia, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license. Accessed on 17/07/2026.





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Species photographs

Last published photographs

Foto
Photography ID: 667157
  Adult

San Nicolás de los Arroyos
Buenos Aires
Argentina
01/11/2026
Peter Vidana
Foto
Photography ID: 642348
  Adult

San Nicolás de los Arroyos
Buenos Aires
Argentina
07/04/2025
Peter Vidana



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Page 1
Record IDDateExact timeCountryProvince / departmentPlaceFilmedPhotographedRecorded vocalObservedHeardWounded or deadNumber of individualsUser or BibliographyDetail
241523111/01/2026ArgentinaBuenos AiresEco Parque san nicolas, San Nicolás de los ArroyosPeter Vidana
231728904/07/2025ArgentinaBuenos AiresEco Parque san nicolas, San Nicolás de los ArroyosPeter Vidana
Page 1

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Recommended citation
Please use the following reference when citing this species account.
EcoRegistros. 2026. Schoenoplectus californicus – Species account. Accessed from www.ecoregistros.org on 24/09/2026.