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hermaphrodite flatsedge

Houghton's flatsedge

Habit Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. Herbs, perennial, cespitose, bases cormose, rhizomatous.
Culms

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

trigonous, 5–50 cm × 0.5–1.5 mm, glabrous.

Leaves

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

V-shaped, 12–30 cm × 1–6 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 ± globose to broadly ovoid, 8–20 mm wide;

rays 1–8 cm;

rachis 2–5 mm, glabrous;

bracts 3–8, weakly ascending, flat, 3–20 cm × 1–3.5 mm;

rachilla deciduous, 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.

3–18, compressed, ovoid to oblong-lanceoloid, 4–15 × 2.6–3.4 mm;

floral scales deciduous, 3–18, laterally stramineous to reddish brown, laterally 3–4-ribbed, broadly ovate, 1.8–2.5 × 1.3–1.6 mm, apex with mucro 0.1–0.2 mm.

Flowers

anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm;

styles 0.4–1.6 mm;

stigmas 1–1.5 mm.

anthers 0.5–0.7 mm;

styles 0.4–0.6 mm;

stigmas 1–1.5 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.

dark brown, sessile, broadly ellipsoid, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surface glabrous, puncticulate, or papillose.

2n

= 168, 170, 172.

Cyperus hermaphroditus

Cyperus houghtonii

Phenology Fruiting summer–fall. Fruiting summer.
Habitat Arroyos Riverbanks, sand bars, lakeshores, sand dunes, sandy openings in woods, especially among Jack pines
Elevation 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft) 0–1100 m (0–3600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; TX; Mexico; South America; West Indies
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
IL; IN; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; VA; VT; WI; WV; MB; ON; QC
[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. 175.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus
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. 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. hermaphroditus, 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
Name authority (Jacquin) Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: 88. (1916) Torrey: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York 3: 277. (1836)
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