Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus compressus |
|
---|---|---|
hermaphrodite flatsedge |
annual sedge, poorland flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. | Herbs, annual, cespitose with fibrous roots. |
Culms | trigonous, (10–)30–80(–140) cm × (0.4–)1–3(–5) mm, glabrous. |
trigonous, (2–)6–15(–35) cm × (0.3–)1–1.8 mm, glabrous. |
Leaves | V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (5–)15–70(–90) cm × (2–)4–10(–13) mm, glabrous. |
1–5, flat to V-shaped, (1–)5–15(–22) cm × (0.5–)1.5–3 mm. |
Inflorescences | spikes 1(–5), rather densely ovoid or oblong-cylindric, (10–)25–45(–62) × 7–22 mm, 11–21 spikelets per 5 mm of rachis; rays (3–)5–10(–17), (1–)5–12(–24) cm; bracts (2–)4–8, ascending at 30–45°, V- or inversely W-shaped, (2–)8–40(–65) cm × (1–)2–8 mm; rachilla deciduous, wings 0.4–0.5 mm wide. |
spikes ± digitate, ± globose, 7–40 × 10–20 mm; rays (0–)1–6, 2–12 cm; if absent, inflorescence a sessile cluster of (1–)3–10 spikelets; rachis 2–5 mm; bracts (1–)4–5(–6), ascending, V-shaped, 1–15(–20) cm × 0.5–3.5 mm; rachilla persistent, wingless. |
Spikelets | (10–)50–150, oblong to linear, quadrangular, (3–)4–8(–18) × (0.8–)1–1.2(–1.6) mm; distal spikelet spreading or ascending; floral scales (1–) 3–8, pale greenish white to golden brown, deep brown, or reddish brown, medially usually green, weakly to strongly 3(–4)-ribbed laterally, 1–3-ribbed medially, ovate to elliptic, (2–)2.6–3.2(–4) × 1.2–2 mm, apex obtuse. |
(1–)3–12(–16), greenish white, linear to linear-lanceoloid, compressed-quadrangular, 6–34(–40) × 2–3(–3.6) mm; floral scales deciduous, (8–)16–36(–42), spreading, laterally whitish, greenish, or pale brownish, medially green, weakly 7–9-ribbed, laterally weakly 1–2-ribbed, most ribs medial, ovate, (2.4–)2.6–3 × (1.9–)2–2.4(–2.5) mm, apex acute to ± acute, cuspidate tip (0.3–)0.5–0.7(–0.8) mm. |
Flowers | anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm; styles 0.4–1.6 mm; stigmas 1–1.5 mm. |
anthers 0.6–0.7 mm; styles 0.9–1.3 mm; stigmas 0.5–0.8 mm. |
Achenes | brown or reddish brown, sessile or nearly so, ellipsoid, 1.4–1.8(–2) × 0.6–0.8(–1) mm, apex acute to obtuse, slightly apiculate, surfaces puncticulate. |
brown, stipitate to sessile, obovoid, (1–)1.2–1.4(–1.5) × 0.9–1(–1.1) mm, apex obtuse to emarginate, surfaces very finely puncticulate. |
Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus compressus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–fall. | Fruiting summer–early fall. |
Habitat | Arroyos | Various disturbed soils |
Elevation | 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft) | 0–900 m (0–3000 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; TX; Mexico; South America; West Indies |
AL; AR; DE; FL; GA; IL; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NY; OH; PA; SC; TX; VA; Mexico; Central America; South America; Asia; Africa
|
Discussion | An erroneous report of Cyperus hermaphroditus from Alabama was based on misidentification of C. thyrsiflorus. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 186. | FNA vol. 23, p. 171. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Carex hermaphrodita, Mariscus hermaphroditus, Mariscus jacquinii | C. compressus var. pectiniformis, C. pectinatus, C. pectiniformis |
Name authority | (Jacquin) Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: 88. (1916) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 46. (1753) |
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