Cyperus difformis |
Cyperus retrofractus |
|
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Asian flatsedge, smallflower umbrella sedge, variable flatsedge |
rough flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, annual, cespitose. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose. |
Culms | 1–15, trigonous, 7–30 cm × 1.2–2.5 mm, soft (flattened in pressing), glabrous. |
with cormlike bases, sharply trigonous, 25–90 cm, glabrous proximally, minutely scabridulous distally. |
Leaves | 2–7, flat, (2–)7–22 cm × 2.2–4 mm. |
V-shaped, 14–40 cm × 3.5–8 mm, (pubescent on adaxial side of midrib). |
Inflorescences | heads dense, 7–17 mm diam.; when rays short, heads sessile or nearly so, then densely irregularly lobate, 12–35 mm diam.; rays 1–5, 2–32 mm; bracts 2–4, longest bract erect or nearly so, appearing as continuation of culm, other bracts horizontal to ascending, 1–22 cm × 0.5–3.5 mm, margins and keel minutely scabridulous. |
spikes loose, obtrulloid to obdeltoid (broadest near apex, nearly as long as wide), 20–28(–34) × (12–)15–30 mm; rays 4–13, (1–)4–24 cm (longest ray shorter than bracts), glabrous; bracts 3–12, ascending at 30–45°, flat, 3–25 cm × 3–7 mm; rachilla persistent, wings 0.4–0.6 mm wide, covering 3/4 of mature achene. |
Spikelets | 30–120, greenish brown to purplish brown, oblong-ellipsoid, compressed, (2–)3–5(–6) × 0.8–1.2 mm; floral scales (6–)12–20(–30), laterally clear margins, stramineous to deep purple, medially greenish, stramineous, or purplish, laterally ribless, medially 3-ribbed, obovate to orbiculate, 0.6–0.8 × 0.6–0.8 mm, apex mucronulate. |
30–50, proximal one reflexed, distal ones divaricate, linear-lanceoloid, ± terete, (6.5–) 8–10(–17) × 0.5–0.7 mm; floral scales persistent, 3–6(–8), appressed, stramineous (suffused with reddish purple), 4–5-ribbed laterally, ovate-lanceolate, (4–)4.4–4.9(–5.4) × 1.3–1.5 mm; terminal scale not spinose, apex straight, excurved mucronate, or cuspidate. |
Flowers | stamens 1 or 2; anthers ovoid-ellipsoid, 0.1 mm, connective not prolonged; styles 0.1 mm; stigmas 0.1–0.3 mm. |
anthers 0.7–1.2 mm; styles 1.5–2 mm; stigmas 2–2.5 mm. |
Achenes | light brown, obovoid-ellipsoid, 0.6–0.8 × 0.3–0.4 mm (as long as subtending scale), base cuneate, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces finely reticulate, papillose. |
brown to brownish black, narrowly oblong, (2.2–)2.5–3 × 0.6–0.7 mm, base cuneate, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces puncticulate. |
Cyperus difformis |
Cyperus retrofractus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Disturbed, muddy soils, shallow waters | Roadsides, pastures, disturbed sites in sandy or clayey soils |
Elevation | 0–1000 m (0–3300 ft) | 0–300 m (0–1000 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AZ; CA; FL; GA; ID; KY; LA; MS; NC; NJ; NM; OR; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; Mexico; South America; West Indies (Puerto Rico); Central America (Nicaragua, Panama); Eurasia; Indian Ocean Islands; Pacific Islands; Australia [Introduced in North America]
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AL; AR; DC; DE; GA; KY; MO; NC; NJ; OH; PA; SC; TN; VA
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Discussion | Cyperus difformis is naturalized in the New World and native to the Old World, where it ranges from southern Europe to southern Africa and eastward to Southeast Asia and Australia. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
For information concerning nomenclature of Cyperus retrofractus, see J. R. Carter and C. E. Jarvis (1986). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 156. | FNA vol. 23, p. 180. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. lateriflorus | Scirpus retrofractus, C. dipsaciformis, C. retrofractus var. dipsaciformis, Mariscus retrofractus |
Name authority | Linnaeus: Cent. Pl. II, 6. (1756) | (Linnaeus) Torrey: in J. Carey, Carices North. U.S., 519. (1847) |
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