
Bristle Club-rush
Isolepis setacea
Isolepis setacea is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family known by the common names bristle club-rush and bristleleaf bulrush. It is native to Eurasia and Africa, and possibly Australasia.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolepis_setacea
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Order
Poales
Family
Cyperaceae
Genus
Isolepis
Bristle Club-rush belongs to the family Cyperaceae, order Poales, within the Liliopsida class.
Species Profile
Isolepis setacea is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family known by the common names bristle club-rush and bristleleaf bulrush. It is native to Eurasia and Africa, and possibly Australasia. It can be found in other places, including some areas in North America, where it is an introduced species. It grows in many types of moist and wet habitat, often in coastal regions, and sometimes inland. It is a perennial herb which forms mats of very thin, grooved, erect or arching stems up to about 20 centimeters tall. The leaves sheath the stem bases and have short, flat, thick blades. The inflorescence is a solitary spikelet just a few millimeters long, or a cluster of up to three spikelets. These are accompanied by a stiff bract extending past the flowers.
Bristle Club-rush faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized wetland environments. Drainage of temporary pools, agricultural intensification, and urban development have eliminated many suitable sites, while remaining populations are threatened by water pollution and altered hydrology.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Bristle Club-rush faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized wetland environments. Drainage of temporary pools, agricultural intensification, and urban development have eliminated many suitable sites, while remaining populations are threatened by water pollution and altered hydrology.
Agricultural intensification and land conversion
Habitat loss from drainage and development
Altered hydrology and water management
Climate change affecting seasonal water patterns
Water pollution and eutrophication
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Bristle Club-rush (Isolepis setacea). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/bristle-club-rush