Flora of North America species comparison

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Cymophyllus fraserianus

Fraser's cymophyllus, Fraser's sedge
Culms

20–40 cm.
Leaves

strap-shaped, gradually tapered to base that wraps around stem, finely evenly 50–90-veined, 20–60 × 1.7–5 cm, margin finely undulate, base gradually tapered, apex broadly acute-rounded, ciliate-serrulate.
Inflorescences

a single androgynous spike, 1.4–2.5 × 1.1–1.5 cm; pistillate portion ± globose at maturity.
Perigynia

white, becoming pale greenish at maturity, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, ± inflated, circular to flattened in cross section, 4.5–6.7 × 2.2–3 mm, membranaceous;

beak short, orifice entire.
Achenes

dark brown, elliptic to circular or broadly obovate in outline, 2.4–3.2 × 1.6–2.5 mm.
Scales

translucent-white.
Stigmas

thick, stiff, finely papillose.

Cymophyllus fraserianus
Phenology Fruiting early summer (May–Jun).
Habitat Mesic to wet- mesic, shaded slopes and banks in rich, often rocky deciduous, mixed, or hemlock forests, local, often abundant
Elevation 400–1300 m (1300–4300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
GA; KY; MD; NC; PA; SC; TN; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The broad, straplike leaf of Cymophyllus, apparently lacking a midvein, sheath, and ligule and with finely undulate margins, is unique in Cyperaceae. This southern Appalachian endemic (R. B. Clarkson 1962) is presumably a relict, sharing the same ancestry as Carex, and has evolved the flat, “blade” of its leaf from an expanded bladeless sheath (A. A. Reznicek 1989). Both the morphology of the inflorescence and preliminary observations (W. W. Thomas 1984b) suggest the plant is entomophilous. Some individuals in populations are protandrous, and others are protogynous, but details of the reproductive biology of this species are unknown. Cymophyllus is a striking plant with its broad, evergreen leaves and gleaming white inflorescences, and it is sometimes cultivated in woodland wildflower gardens.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 23, p. 573.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Cymophyllus
Synonyms Carex fraserianus, Carex fraseri, C. fraseri
Name authority (Ker Gawler) Kartesz & Gandhi: Rhodora 93: 138. (1991)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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