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awned flatsedge

Habit Plants annual, cespitose, with fibrous roots.
Culms

1–20, trigonous, 2–16 cm × 0.5–0.8 mm.

Leaves

(1)5–10(15) × 0.5–2.5 mm.

Inflorescences

clusters usually densely head-like to cylindric, 1, loosely to densely ovoid to oblong, 6–20(40) × 9–15(20) mm;

rays absent or 1–3(6), 0.4–4 cm; longest inflorescence bracts more or less erect.

Spikes

(2)6–20(40); ovoid-lanceoloid to oblong; somewhat compressed, 2.5–10(20) × 1.3–2.2 mm (excluding awns); greenish to reddish brown;

rachilla more or less deciduous; wingless; floral scales deciduous; (4)10–20(34), oblong-lanceolate; (1.2)1.3–1.8(2.2) × (0.5)0.7–0.8(1) mm; greenish to stramineous or brownish red with greenish mid-stripe; (5)7–9(11)-ribbed nearly to margins;

apex awned; the strongly outcurved awn an additional 0.5–1(1.3) mm.

Flowers

anthers 0.2–0.3 mm;

styles 0.3–0.5 mm;

stigmas 0.4–0.7 mm.

Achenes

obovoid (occasionally linear-spatulate or linear-oblong), 0.7–0.8(1.1) × (0.2)0.3–0.4(0.5) mm;

stipe 0.05–0.1 × 0.1 mm.

Cyperus lanceolatus

Cyperus squarrosus

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Lake shores and river margins exposed as water falls, puddles, disturbed shallow wetlands. 0–1300 m. BR, BW, Col, CR, ECas, Lava, Owy, Sisk, WV. CA, ID, NV, WA; throughout US and adjacent Canada, south to South America; nearly cosmopolitan. Native.

Cyperus squarrosus is easily recognized by its small size, strongly outcurved scale awns, and many-veined scales. It is sometimes confused with C. acuminatus, which has 3-veined floral scales.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 237
Barbara Wilson, Richard Brainerd, Nick Otting
Sibling taxa
C. acuminatus, C. aggregatus, C. bipartitus, C. difformis, C. eragrostis, C. erythrorhizos, C. esculentus, C. fuscus, C. niger, C. odoratus, C. schweinitzii, C. squarrosus, C. strigosus
C. acuminatus, C. aggregatus, C. bipartitus, C. difformis, C. eragrostis, C. erythrorhizos, C. esculentus, C. fuscus, C. niger, C. odoratus, C. schweinitzii, C. strigosus
Synonyms Cyperus aristatus, Cyperus inflexus
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