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hermaphrodite flatsedge

fern flatsedge

Habit Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. Herbs, annual, cespitose.
Culms

trigonous, (10–)30–80(–140) cm × (0.4–)1–3(–5) mm, glabrous.

trigonous, 5–50 cm × 0.4–2 mm, glabrous.

Leaves

V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (5–)15–70(–90) cm × (2–)4–10(–13) mm, glabrous.

flat, 10–30 cm × 1–3 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.

heads loosely globose, 10–22 mm diam.;

rays 0–6, 1–7 cm;

bracts 3–6, horizontal to slightly ascending, flat, 3–26 cm × 1–3 mm.

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.

6–20, linear-lanceoloid, compressed, 7–30 × 2–3 mm;

floral scales 8–28, stramineous to light reddish brown, laterally ribless, ovate, 2.7–3.6 × 1.6–1.8 mm.

Flowers

anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm;

styles 0.4–1.6 mm;

stigmas 1–1.5 mm.

stamens 2;

anthers 0.5 mm, connective apex reddish, subulate, 0.1–0.2 mm;

styles 1.9–2.1 mm;

stigmas 1–1.3 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, oblong, 1.2–1.6 × 0.6–0.9 mm, base cuneate to ± stipelike, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces minutely punctate.

Cyperus hermaphroditus

Cyperus filicinus

Phenology Fruiting summer–fall. Fruiting summer.
Habitat Arroyos Swales between dunes, upper edges of tidal marshes, occasionally emergent shorelines, roadsides, inland ditches
Elevation 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft) 0(–50) m (0(–200) ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; TX; Mexico; South America; West Indies
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CT; GA; IL; LA; MA; ME; NC; NH; NJ; NY; RI; SC; VA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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. 160.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycreus
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. giganteus, C. gracilis, C. granitophilus, C. grayi, C. grayoides, C. haspan, 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. filiculmis, C. filiformis, C. flavescens, C. flavicomus, C. floribundus, C. fugax, C. fuligineus, C. fuscus, C. giganteus, 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
Synonyms Carex hermaphrodita, Mariscus hermaphroditus, Mariscus jacquinii C. polystachyos var. macrostachyos
Name authority (Jacquin) Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: 88. (1916) Vahl: Enum. Pl. 2: 332. (1805)
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