This is widespread in marshes across much of North America, but rare to absent in most southeastern states. The few Ky. records are mostly from extensive wetlands in western regions of the state. The disjunct eastern coll. from MADI was made at the edge of a man-made lake. Bolboschoenus has been traditionally combined with Scirpus, but is closer to Schoenoplectus; most species are high polyploids with 2n = 94-110 (FNA 23).