Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus gracilis |
|
---|---|---|
hermaphrodite flatsedge |
slimjim flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. | Herbs, annual or perennial. |
Culms | trigonous, (10–)30–80(–140) cm × (0.4–)1–3(–5) mm, glabrous. |
weak, often arching, basally culmlike, weakly 4(–5)-angled, 10–30 cm × 0.2–0.4 mm, glabrous. |
Leaves | V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (5–)15–70(–90) cm × (2–)4–10(–13) mm, glabrous. |
1–4, 3–25 cm × 1–1.5 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. |
rays absent, often proliferous; bracts 2–4, longest erect, looking like continuation of culm, V-shaped, 3–6 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. |
1–3(–6), narrowly ellipsoid, weakly compressed, 5–10 × 2 mm; floral scales 8–16, laterally whitish or dull stramineous, medially green, weakly 3–4-ribbed, broadly ovate, 2.5 × 2 mm, apex acute to mucronate, mucro slightly excurved, 0.2–0.3 mm. |
Flowers | anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm; styles 0.4–1.6 mm; stigmas 1–1.5 mm. |
stamens 3; styles 0.8 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, stipitate, obovoid, abaxial angle more prominent than adaxial ones, 0.7 × 0.7 mm, apex emarginate, surfaces glabrous. |
Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus gracilis |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–fall. | Fruiting summer–early fall. |
Habitat | Arroyos | Disturbed, moist areas |
Elevation | 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft) | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; TX; Mexico; South America; West Indies |
CA; Australia [Introduced in North America] |
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.) |
Carex gracilis comprises diminutive plants with a delicate, arching habit and distinctive knoblike angles to the achenes. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 186. | FNA vol. 23. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Carex hermaphrodita, Mariscus hermaphroditus, Mariscus jacquinii | |
Name authority | (Jacquin) Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: 88. (1916) | R. Brown: Prodr., 213. (1810) |
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