Stoloniferous perennials; stem noded, terete, cauline eaves several, pseudo-dorsiventral, glaucous, very scabrous; inflorescence formed by several axillary, branched partial inflorescences, which mostly not overlapping; cluster of spikes by 3-15 spikes on tip of ultimate branches, sessile or with short peduncles; spikes fusiform, lowest 2 or more glumes sterile, in axils of the next two glumes uni- or bisexual flower; nut fusiform, at its base more or less differentiated disc.

A small genus with 2 species, 1 North American and 1 cosmopolitan; represented in Pakistan by Cladium mariscus (L.) Pohl subsp. mariscus.

Cladium is readily distinguished by its noded, terete, hollow stem. Its spike structure resembles to that of Schoenus.

Lower Taxa

• Cladium mariscus (L.) Pohl
• Cladium mariscus subsp. mariscus