Cyperus echinatus |
Cyperus articulatus |
|
---|---|---|
globe flatsedge, teasel sedge |
jointed flatsedge, priprioca |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, single-stemmed to loosely cespitose. | Herbs perennial; rhizomes to 200 cm. |
Culms | basally cormlike, trigonous, (15–)30–100 cm × 0.5–3.5 mm, glabrous. |
to 25 cm apart, 1(–3) together, terete (scarcely compressed in drying), occasionally trigonous for apical 1/3, 40–140(–200) cm, 4–12 mm thick at base, (1.2–)1.5–2.5 mm thick at apex (with conspicuous transverse septa ca. 3 cm apart basally, to 3–5 mm apart apically), glabrous or infrequently scabrid on angles apically; sheaths at base of culm, 2–3, (5–)10–25 cm, loose, papery. |
Leaves | flat to V-shaped, 10–65 cm × 3–9 mm, adaxial surface, margins minutely scabridulous. |
usually bladeless, blades when present, cross ribs prominent, especially adaxially, (1–)10–20(–40) cm × 4–6(–9) mm. |
Inflorescences | spikes densely globose to globose-ovoid, 8–17 mm wide; rays 3–12, 2–12 cm, scaberous adaxially especially distally; rachis 4–8 mm; bracts (3–)4–7, ascending at 30(–45)°, flat, 5–35 cm × 2–9 mm; rachilla persistent, wings 0.5–0.7 mm wide. |
spikes 1(–5), broadly ovoid to ± umbellate, 15–45 × 10–30 mm; rays 5–7(–10), 0.3–8(–12) cm; 2d order rays occasionally present, 5–20 mm; bracts 2(–4), erect, longest appearing to be continuation of culm, deltate to lance-linear, 0.2–2(–9) cm × 1.5–4.5 mm; rachilla persistent, wings translucent, whitish, or stramineous, 0.4 mm wide. |
Spikelets | 50–100, oblong-lanceoloid, ± terete-quadrangular, (3.5–)4–7 × 1–1.4 mm; distal spikelet spreading or ascending; floral scales persistent, 3–5, appressed, stramineous to brownish, 4-ribbed laterally, oblong-elliptic, 3.5–4.5 × 1–1.8 mm, membranous, apex entire or emarginate with mucro to 0.3 mm. |
(1–)5–10, linear, compressed, 10–35(–45) × 1.1–2 mm; floral scales deciduous, 15–45, spreading or appressed, laterally light brown, medially green to brown, laterally 1–2-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, oblong-elliptic to ovate, 2.9–3.7 × 1.1–1.6(–1.8) mm, apex acute. |
Flowers | anthers 0.4–0.8 mm; styles 0.5–0.6 mm; stigmas 1 mm. |
anthers 1.7–2.4 mm; styles 1.2–3.6 mm; stigmas 1.7–6 mm. |
Achenes | brown, ± stipitate, oblong, (1.5–)1.8–2.3 × 0.5–0.6(–0.7) mm (1/2 length of floral scales), apex obtuse, surfaces puncticulate. |
brown, stipitate, obovoid-ellipsoid, 1.2–1.6 × 0.4–0.6 mm, stipe 0.1 mm, apex markedly apiculate, surfaces puncticulate. |
Cyperus echinatus |
Cyperus articulatus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–early fall. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Disturbed, sunny sites, in mesic places, well-drained soils | Marshes, shallow water, ditches |
Elevation | 0–500 m (0–1600 ft) | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; DC; DE; FL; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; RI; SC; TN; TX; VA; WI; WV; West Indies
|
AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; SC; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America; Asia; Africa
|
Discussion | The records for Rhode Island and Wisconsin are according to M. L. Horvat (1941); we have not seen specimens from those states. Cyperus echinatus is usually recognized by its tight, nearly spheric spikes; it may occasionally be hard to distinguish from C. croceus and C. retrorsus. Compared to C. retrorsus, C. echinatus has larger spikelets and longer floral scales, anthers, and achenes. In contrast to C. echinatus, C. croceus has looser spikes, shorter, broader, greenish or yellowish floral scales, shorter, more ovoid achenes, and shorter anthers. Furthermore, C. echinatus is predominantly an inland species of roadsides, pastures, and other disturbed ground; C. retrorsus is primarily a coastal species and occurs in drier, sandier sites. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
In habit, Cyperus articulatus is reminscent of larger plants of Juncus or Schoenoplectus and is the only North American Cyperus with such a reedlike appearance. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 182. | FNA vol. 23, p. 167. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Scirpus echinatus, C. ovularis, C. ovularis var. americanus, C. ovularis var. sphaericus, C. ovularis var. wolfii, C. wolfii, Kyllinga ovularis, Mariscus ovularis | C. articulatus var. multiflorus, C. articulatus var. nodosus, C. corymbosus var. subnodosus, C. nodosus, C. nodosus var. subnodosus, C. subnodosus |
Name authority | (Linnaeus) Alph. Wood: Class-book Bot. ed. s.n.(b), 734. (1861) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 44. (1753) |
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