E. caribaea of Michigan Flora.

Wet sandy, marly borders of ponds in northwestern Washtenaw Co. and northeastern Jackson Co. This is a widespread tropical species, occurring in the southern United States and widely disjunct to the southern Great Lakes region. Not seen in Michigan since 1937, though still extand nearby in Indiana and Ontario.

The disjunct Great Lakes area plants were long ago described as a distinct species, Eleocharis dispar E. J. Hill, with purple-tinted scales, whereas tropical plants all have basically straw colored or greenish scales. If recognized at all, this is now considered only a variety, but it is worthy of further study.