Cyperus drummondii |
Cyperus virens |
|
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Drummond's sedge |
green flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, cespitose; rhizomes 0.5–2 cm, often absent. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose; rhizomes 0.5–2 cm, often absent. |
Culms | trigonous, 35–170 cm × 2–4.7 mm, scabrid on angles. |
trigonous, (20–)60–70(–100) cm × 2.4–6.9 mm, scabrid on angles. |
Leaves | 4–12, with readily visible cross ribs especially on abaxial surface, flat to V-shaped, 25–100 cm × 2.4–11 mm. |
4–12, flat to V-shaped, with readily visible cross ribs especially on abaxial surface, 20–50 cm × 3–14 mm. |
Inflorescences | heads digitate, globose, 1–1.7 cm diam.; rays 3–5, 1–7 cm; 2d order rays absent; bracts 3–5, horizontal to ascending at 30°, with prominent cross ribs, V-shaped, (4–)11–35(–48) cm × 1–6.7 mm (longest 1/2 as long as culm); 2d order bracts absent. |
heads digitate to hemispheric, 1–3.5 cm diam.; rays 6–12, 1–9(–14) cm; 2d order rays often present, (0.5–)1–3 cm; 3d order rays occasionally present, 5–12 mm; bracts 4–8, horizontal to ascending at 30°, with prominent cross ribs,V-shaped, (1.5–)3–50(–75) cm × 0.5–13 mm; 2d order bracts 3–10 × 1–2 mm. |
Spikelets | 10–40, oblong to linear-lanceoloid, 5–1.8 × 1.5–2.2 mm; floral scales 18–42, pale grayish green, turning brownish, proximally greenish or brownish, 2-keeled, weakly to distinctly 1-ribbed, proximal 1/2 2-ribbed, ovate, 1.4–1.6 × 0.9–1.4 mm, acute (sometimes mucronulate), apically glabrous, occasionally scabridulous. |
10–40(–50), oblong to linear-lanceoloid, 5–18 × 2–3.2 mm; floral scales 10–40, pale grayish brown, or greenish, proximally greenish or brownish, oblanceolate, 2-keeled, weakly to distinctly 1-ribbed, proximal half 2-ribbed, (1.3–)1.5–2(–2.4) × 0.9–1.4 mm, apex acute (sometimes mucronulate), apically glabrous, occasionally scabridulous. |
Flowers | stamens 1–2; anthers 0.8–1.2 mm; styles 0.8–1 mm; stigmas 0.6–0.8 mm. |
stamens 1–2; anthers 0.8–1.4 mm; styles 0.8–1 mm; stigmas 0.6–0.8 mm. |
Achenes | brown, slightly stipitate, oblong-ellipsoid (2.4–3.9 times longer than wide), 1–1.2 × 0.3–0.5 mm, apical beak 0.1–0.5 mm, surfaces glabrous. |
brown, slightly to distinctly stipitate, ellipsoid (2.7–4.1 times as long as wide), (0.9–)1.2–1.5 × 0.3–0.4 mm, apical beak 0.1–0.5 mm, surfaces glabrous. |
Cyperus drummondii |
Cyperus virens |
|
Phenology | Fruiting late spring–summer. | Fruiting spring–fall. |
Habitat | Wet, relatively undisturbed habitats, especially flatwoods, ponds, seepage slopes, coastal prairies | Wet pastures, marshes, roadside ditches |
Elevation | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) | |
Distribution |
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; SC; TX; Central America; South America; West Indies |
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America
|
Discussion | Cyperus drummondii has been treated as a synonym (G. C. Tucker 1994), or a variety (G. Kükenthal 1935–1936), or a subspecies of C. virens (M. F. Denton 1978b). Recent quantitative and field studies (J. R. Carter et al. 1999) provided compelling evidence that specific status is appropriate. Compared to Cyperus virens, C. drummondii is a taller species of less disturbed habitats and has narrower spikelets, ovate scales, and fewer inflorescence bracts. Cyperus virens and C. drummondii are readily distinguished from other Cyperus species in the United States by their sharply angled, scabrid culms and conspicuously septate leaf blades. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Cyperus virens was found as waif in California in the 1800s (M. F. Denton 1978b; G. C. Tucker 1993b). Cyperus virens is readily distinguished from other species of subg. Pycnostachys by its trigonous culms, scabrid angles, and leaves and inflorescence bracts conspicuously septate by numerous cross ribs between the main ribs. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 23. | FNA vol. 23, p. 153. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. robustus, C. virens subsp. drummondii, C. virens var. drummondii, C. virens var. robustus | |
Name authority | Torrey & Hooker: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 3: 437, errata. (1836) | Michaux: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 28. (1803) |
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