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giant flatsedge, Mexican papyrus

Illinois flatsedge, Mohlenbrock's sedge, umbrella sedge

Habit Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, stout. Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous, tuberlike.
Culms

roundly trigonous, 200–350 cm × 15–50 mm, glabrous.

trigonous, 5–35 cm × 0.7–1.2 mm, glabrous.

Leaves

bladeless.

V-shaped, 5–25 cm × 1.5–3.5 mm, slightly scabridulous on abaxial margins, midrib.

Inflorescences

spikes loosely cylindric, 15–40 × 8–16 mm;

rays 5–8, ascending to erect, stiff,20–30 cm; 2d order rays 5–15 cm;

bracts 10–12, ascending at 30–60°, flat, (8–) 20–45 cm × 4–12 mm; 2d order bracts (5–)15–25 cm × 1.5–5 mm;

rachilla persistent, separating laterally, remaining firmly attached basally, wings 0.3–0.4 mm wide.

spikes loosely ± globose, 15–25 mm wide;

rays 1–10 cm;

rachis 1–4 mm;

bracts 3–7, ascending, V-shaped, 3–20 cm × 1–3 mm;

rachilla deciduous, wingless.

Spikelets

(15–)50–80, slightly compressed, linear, ± quadrangular, 5–12 × 0.6–1.4 mm;

floral scales 8–20, appressed, reddish beside 5-ribbed green medial part, white to hyaline near margins, ovate, 1.8–2.2 × 1.2–1.5 mm, apex acute to obtuse.

3–24, compressed, oblong-lanceoloid, 4–12 × 2.5–3.2 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 3–9, pale reddish brown, ovate, laterally 3–5-ribbed, 2.5–3 × 2–2.4 mm, apex acute to obtuse.

Flowers

anthers 0.7–1 mm (connective prolonged beyond anther as red subulate appendage 0.2–0.5 mm, its apex sometimes setose);

styles 0.2–0.5 mm;

stigmas (0.8–)1.2–1.8 mm.

anthers 1–1.2 mm;

styles 0.4–0.6 mm;

stigmas 1–2 mm.

Achenes

pale brown, sessile, oblong, 0.9–1 × 0.4–0.5 mm, apex scarcely apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.

dark brown, ± stipitate, ellipsoid, 2–2.4 × 0.9–1.2 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces glabrous, puncticulate, or papillose.

2n

= 166.

Cyperus giganteus

Cyperus grayoides

Phenology Fruiting summer. Fruiting summer.
Habitat Stream banks, marshes Sand prairies, waste places, fallow fields
Elevation 0–10 m (0–0 ft) 100–300 m (300–1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
LA; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; IL; LA; MO; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Cyperus giganteus was erroneously reported from Florida, a misidentification of C. papyrus (R. R. Haynes and A. Lasseigne 1969).

Recently, some nurseries specializing in water plants have begun to offer C. giganteus under the name “Mexican papyrus.” Escaped cultivated plants may be expected in southeastern and southwestern United States.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Of conservation concern.

Cyperus grayoides is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plant’s. See frontispiece.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 23, p. 173. FNA vol. 23.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus
Sibling taxa
C. acuminatus, C. aggregatus, C. alopecuroides, C. amabilis, C. articulatus, C. bipartitus, C. cephalanthus, C. compressus, C. croceus, C. cuspidatus, C. dentatus, C. dentoniae, C. diandrus, C. difformis, C. digitatus, C. dipsaceus, C. distans, C. distinctus, C. drummondii, C. echinatus, C. elegans, C. entrerianus, C. eragrostis, C. erythrorhizos, C. esculentus, C. fendlerianus, C. filicinus, C. filiculmis, C. filiformis, C. flavescens, C. flavicomus, C. floribundus, C. fugax, C. fuligineus, C. fuscus, C. gracilis, C. granitophilus, C. grayi, C. grayoides, C. haspan, C. hermaphroditus, C. houghtonii, C. hypopitys, C. hystricinus, C. involucratus, C. iria, C. laevigatus, C. lancastriensis, C. lanceolatus, C. lecontei, C. lentiginosus, C. ligularis, C. lupulinus, C. manimae, C. microiria, C. mutisii, C. niger, C. ochraceus, C. odoratus, C. onerosus, C. ovatus, C. owanii, C. oxylepis, C. pallidicolor, C. papyrus, C. parishii, C. pilosus, C. planifolius, C. plukenetii, C. polystachyos, C. prolifer, C. prolixus, C. pseudothyrsiflorus, C. pseudovegetus, C. pumilus, C. reflexus, C. refractus, C. retroflexus, C. retrofractus, C. retrorsus, C. rotundus, C. sanguinolentus, C. schweinitzii, C. serotinus, C. seslerioides, C. setigerus, C. spectabilis, C. sphacelatus, C. sphaerolepis, C. squarrosus, C. strigosus, C. surinamensis, C. tetragonus, C. thyrsiflorus, C. virens
C. acuminatus, C. aggregatus, C. alopecuroides, C. amabilis, C. articulatus, C. bipartitus, C. cephalanthus, C. compressus, C. croceus, C. cuspidatus, C. dentatus, C. dentoniae, C. diandrus, C. difformis, C. digitatus, C. dipsaceus, C. distans, C. distinctus, C. drummondii, C. echinatus, C. elegans, C. entrerianus, C. eragrostis, C. erythrorhizos, C. esculentus, C. fendlerianus, C. filicinus, C. filiculmis, C. filiformis, C. flavescens, C. flavicomus, C. floribundus, C. fugax, C. fuligineus, C. fuscus, C. giganteus, C. gracilis, C. granitophilus, C. grayi, C. haspan, C. hermaphroditus, C. houghtonii, C. hypopitys, C. hystricinus, C. involucratus, C. iria, C. laevigatus, C. lancastriensis, C. lanceolatus, C. lecontei, C. lentiginosus, C. ligularis, C. lupulinus, C. manimae, C. microiria, C. mutisii, C. niger, C. ochraceus, C. odoratus, C. onerosus, C. ovatus, C. owanii, C. oxylepis, C. pallidicolor, C. papyrus, C. parishii, C. pilosus, C. planifolius, C. plukenetii, C. polystachyos, C. prolifer, C. prolixus, C. pseudothyrsiflorus, C. pseudovegetus, C. pumilus, C. reflexus, C. refractus, C. retroflexus, C. retrofractus, C. retrorsus, C. rotundus, C. sanguinolentus, C. schweinitzii, C. serotinus, C. seslerioides, C. setigerus, C. spectabilis, C. sphacelatus, C. sphaerolepis, C. squarrosus, C. strigosus, C. surinamensis, C. tetragonus, C. thyrsiflorus, C. virens
Name authority Vahl: Enum. Pl. 2: 364. (1805) Mohlenbrock: Brittonia 11: 255, fig. 1. (1959)
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