Cyperus giganteus |
Cyperus prolifer |
|
---|---|---|
giant flatsedge, Mexican papyrus |
miniature flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, stout. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. |
Culms | roundly trigonous, 200–350 cm × 15–50 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 | bladeless. |
blades reduced to sheath. |
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. |
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 | (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. |
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 | 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. |
stamens 3; anthers 1–1.2 mm; styles 0.3 mm; stigmas 1–1.3 mm. |
Achenes | pale brown, sessile, oblong, 0.9–1 × 0.4–0.5 mm, apex scarcely apiculate, surfaces puncticulate. |
brown, obovoid, 0.4 × 0.2 mm, base stipelike to nearly cuneate, apex obtuse, surfaces finely reticulate. |
Cyperus giganteus |
Cyperus prolifer |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Stream banks, marshes | Pond shores, marshes |
Elevation | 0–10 m (0–0 ft) | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) |
Distribution |
LA; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies [Introduced in North America] |
CA; FL; tropical e Africa [Introduced in North America] |
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.) |
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. 173. | FNA vol. 23, p. 152. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. isocladus | |
Name authority | Vahl: Enum. Pl. 2: 364. (1805) | Lamarck: in J. Lamarck and J. Poiret, Tabl. Encycl. 1: 147. (1791) |
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