Cyperus cuspidatus |
Cyperus prolifer |
|
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coastal plain flatsedge |
miniature flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, annual, cespitose. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. |
Culms | 1–6(–25), trigonous to roundly trigonous, (0.5–)2–5(–9) cm × 0.2–0.4–(0.6) mm, glabrous. |
trigonous to terete, 20–100 cm × 2–6 mm, soft (flattened in drying), glabrous, often flopping over and rooting at base of rays. |
Leaves | 1–6, V-shaped, 1–6 cm × 0.3–1 mm. |
blades reduced to sheath. |
Inflorescences | heads digitate, loosely ovoid, 3–18 × 3–26 mm; rays (0–)1–6(–8), 2.5–20(–30) mm; bracts 2–3(–5), horizontal to ascending at 45(–60)°, V-shaped, 2–60 × 0.3–1.2 mm. |
rays 100–250, 5–16 cm; 2d order rays 0.5–5 cm; bracts 2–3, horizontal or reflexed, 4–12 cm × 1.5–4 mm. |
Spikelets | (3–)10–20(–30), greenish to reddish brown, narrowly ellipsoid to oblong, 3–11 × (0.8–)1.2–1.5 mm; floral scales (3–)6–20(–28), laterally greenish to reddish brown, glossy, medially greenish to light reddish brown, strongly recurved, laterally ribless, medially strongly 3-ribbed, oblong-ovate, (0.8–)1–1.3 × 0.8–1(–1.2) mm, apex emarginate, cusp 0.6–1.2 mm. |
1–30, linear-lanceoloid, ellipsoid to narrowly ovoid, compressed-quadrangular, 6–17 × 1–1.5 mm; floral scales 5–12, reddish brown, 1–3-ribbed, 1.2–1.7 × 0.7–0.9 mm, apex mucronulate. |
Flowers | stamens 2 or 3; anthers oblong-ovoid, 0.1(–0.2) mm; styles (0.2–)0.4–0.6 mm; stigmas 0.3–0.5 mm. |
stamens 3; anthers 1–1.2 mm; styles 0.3 mm; stigmas 1–1.3 mm. |
Achenes | brown, oblong-obovoid, (0.5–)0.6 × (0.3–)0.4 mm, base cuneate, apex blunt, surfaces coarsely papillose. |
brown, obovoid, 0.4 × 0.2 mm, base stipelike to nearly cuneate, apex obtuse, surfaces finely reticulate. |
Cyperus cuspidatus |
Cyperus prolifer |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Damp, disturbed soils | Pond shores, marshes |
Elevation | 0–300 m (0–1000 ft) | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; FL; GA; SC; Mexico; Central America; South America
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CA; FL; tropical e Africa [Introduced in North America] |
Discussion | Cyperus prolifer has long been cultivated in fish ponds and water gardens and has been reported under the name C. isocladus. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 158. | FNA vol. 23, p. 152. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. isocladus | |
Name authority | Kunth: in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 204. (1816) | Lamarck: in J. Lamarck and J. Poiret, Tabl. Encycl. 1: 147. (1791) |
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