COMMON TULE

Scirpus lacustris syn. Schoenoplectus acutus
family: Sedge (Cyperaceae)
mo'omėstaso, "pretty shaped" (Grinnell 1923 II: 170; Petter 1915: 1071)
 
Common tule (hardstem bulrush) is perennial plant, to 3 m tall. Stems grow from creeping rhizomes. The stems are 2 to 6 mm wide, nearly dark green, stiff, without leaves, with two times branched inflorescence. The inflorescence contains 3 to 40 brown, unobtrusive spikelets, 6 to 18 mm long and 3 to 4 mm wide. Fruiting season is summer. Common tule grows in marshes and shallow stagnant or slowly flowing waters. It covers large areas frequently. Common tule ranges all over the North American continent except the Southeast, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona and the Nunavut region in Canada.
According to informations from Northern Cheyenne herbalist Mary Fisher, outer parts of the tule stems was rinded and inwards eaten. The inwards was not cooked but eaten raw (Hart 1981: 8).
 
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