Cyperus grayi |
Cyperus reflexus |
|
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Gray's flatsedge, Gray's sedge |
bentawn flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose; rhizomes elongate, scaly, 2–3 mm wide. |
Culms | basally cormlike, trigonous, 5–40 cm × 0.5–1.3 mm, glabrous. |
roundly trigonous to terete, 30–80 cm × 1–1.6 mm, glabrous. |
Leaves | V-shaped, 5–25 cm × 1–3 mm, slightly minutely scabridulous abaxially on margins, midrib. |
1–6, 10–40 cm, glabrous or essentially so. |
Inflorescences | spikes loosely ± globose, 6–20 mm wide; rays 1–8 cm; rachis 1–4 mm; bracts 3–8, ascending, V-shaped, 3–20 cm × 1–3 mm; rachilla deciduous, wings hyaline, 0.6 mm wide. |
heads ovoid to pyramidal, 9–15 mm diam.; rays 0 or 3–6, 0.5–4 cm, glabrous; bracts 3–4, longest erect, appearing as continuation of culm, others horizontal to ascending, 4–17 cm × 1.5–4 mm. |
Spikelets | 3–18(–28), oblong-lanceoloid, compressed, 3–12 × 1.8–2.5 mm; floral scales deciduous, 2–11, yellowish brown to reddish brown, laterally 3–4-ribbed, ovate, 2–2.8 × 1.6–2.2 mm, apex mucronulate. |
25–60, reddish with contrasting yellowish or greenish edges, oblong-lanceoloid, strongly compressed, 5–6(–15) × 1.5–2.5 mm; floral scales 10–22, laterally reddish, medially yellowish green, 2-keeled, laterally strongly 1-ribbed on each side, proximally grooved, ovate-elliptic, 1.4–2.2 × 0.8–1.5 mm, apex acute, apically scabridulous (sometimes glabrous). |
Flowers | anthers 0.7–1 mm; styles 0.4–0.6 mm; stigmas 1–2 mm. |
stamen 1; anthers 0.6–1 mm; styles 0.3–0.5 mm; stigmas 0.3–0.6 mm. |
Achenes | dark brown, ± stipitate, ellipsoid, 1.5–2 × 0.7–1 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate surfaces glabrous or puncticulate. |
reddish brown, stipitate, ovoid-ellipsoid, 0.8–0.9 × 0.3–0.4 mm, stipe 0.1–0.2 mm, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces reticulate or subtly rugulose. |
2n | = 166. |
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Cyperus grayi |
Cyperus reflexus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer. | Fruiting late spring–fall (May–Oct). |
Habitat | Coastal dunes, well-drained woods, railroad yards | Muddy soils or shallow waters |
Elevation | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) |
Distribution |
CT; DE; GA; MA; MD; NC; NH; NJ; NY; PA; RI; SC; VA |
FL; LA; OK; TX; Mexico; Central America (Costa Rica) |
Discussion | Cyperus reflexus is recognized by its reddish scales with contrasting greenish or yellow keels and by the laterally 1ribbed scales. The lateral rib is most often situated where the reddish and yellowish parts of the scale meet. Two varieties of C. reflexus, var. reflexus and var. fraternus, have been recognized (M. F. Denton 1978b). Both varieties were noted as intermingled in the North American and South American segments of the widely disjunct range of C. reflexus. Such variation does not seem significant at the varietal level (see G. C. Tucker 1994; G. C. Tucker and R. McVaugh 1993). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 179. | FNA vol. 23. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. filiculmis var. grayi, C. filiculmis var. oblitus | C. arenicola, C. fraternus, C. pseudovegetus var. arenicola, C. reflexus var. fraternus |
Name authority | Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 3: 268. (1836) | Vahl: Enum. Pl. 2: 299. (1805) |
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