Plants perennial; rhizomes spreading, conspicuous, long, tough, firm; tubers absent. Culms (1–)2–10 mm diam. Leaves all basal. Inflorescences 1–3 times branched or capitate or sometimes of 1 spikelet. Spikelets: scales with midrib only, except sometimes on empty proximal scale, apex clearly emarginate to deeply 2-fid, awned. Flowers: perianth present, segments (members) bristlelike and spinulose or occasionally straplike with soft, blunt hairs; amphicarpic flowers absent. Achenes smooth.

Species ca. 12 (8 in the flora): worldwide.

Lower Taxa

• Schoenoplectus acutus (Muhlenberg ex Bigelow) Á. Löve & D. Löve
• Schoenoplectus acutus var. acutus
• Schoenoplectus acutus var. occidentalis (S. Watson) S. G. Smith
• Schoenoplectus americanus (Persoon) Volkart ex Schinz & R. Keller
• Schoenoplectus californicus (C. A. Meyer) Soják
• Schoenoplectus deltarum (Schuyler) Soják
• Schoenoplectus heterochaetus (Chase) Soják
• Schoenoplectus pungens (Vahl) Palla
• Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (C. C. Gmelin) Palla
• Schoenoplectus triqueter (Linnaeus) Palla