| Sparganium americanum | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Typhaceae |
| Genus: | Sparganium |
| Species: | S. americanum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sparganium americanum | |
Sparganium americanum, American bur-reed, is a perennial plant found in the United States of America and Canada.[1] Though this species resembles a grass, it is a type of bur-reed.[2] This species is important for conservation purposes because it has the ability to remove nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from water, like many other wetland species. By doing this, it protects waterways from excess nitrogen which can cause eutrophication. This increased nitrogen is especially a problem during the farmers’ growing season. During this same time frame the S. americanum is growing and taking up nitrogen.[3]
- ^ http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=SPAM Sparganium americanum Nutt. American bur-reed, United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service
- ^ http://www.aquascapesunlimited.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=102&typeID=2 Sparganium americanum. Aquascapes Unlimited Inc.
- ^ Kao, Jenny T., John E. Titus, and Wei-Xing Zhu. 2003. Differential Nitrogen and Phosphorus Retention by Five Wetland Plant Species. Wetlands Vol. 23, No. 4: 979-987. DOI 10.1672/0277-5212(2003)023[0979:DNAPRB]2.0.CO;2. Accessed 4/30/14.