Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus lecontei |
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hermaphrodite flatsedge |
Le Conte's flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous, with stolons, lacking tubers. |
Culms | trigonous, (10–)30–80(–140) cm × (0.4–)1–3(–5) mm, glabrous. |
trigonous, 10–50 cm × 1–3 mm. |
Leaves | V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (5–)15–70(–90) cm × (2–)4–10(–13) mm, glabrous. |
flat to V-shaped, 10–40 cm × 2–5 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. |
heads digitate, 10–40 mm diam.; rays 5–12, 1–12 cm; 2d order rays 1–3 cm; bracts 3–5, horizontal, flat to V-shaped, 1–15 cm × 1–2 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–)2–4(–6), oblong to linear, compressed, 5–25 × 2.8–3.6 mm; floral scales 20–60, stramineous or reddish green, laterally weakly 3-ribbed, ovate-elliptic, 2.5–3 × 1–1.8 mm. |
Flowers | anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm; styles 0.4–1.6 mm; stigmas 1–1.5 mm. |
stamens 3; anthers 1–1.3 mm; styles 0.6 mm; stigmas 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. |
reddish brown, sessile, ovoid, 0.7–0.8 × 0.4–0.5 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate or not, surfaces glabrous. |
Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus lecontei |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–fall. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Arroyos | Emergent shorelines |
Elevation | 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft) | 0–100(–300) m (0–300(–1000) ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; TX; Mexico; South America; West Indies |
AL; FL; LA; MS; NC; SC
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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.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 186. | FNA vol. 23, p. 151. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Carex hermaphrodita, Mariscus hermaphroditus, Mariscus jacquinii | C. dentatus var. multiradiatus, C. multiradiatus |
Name authority | (Jacquin) Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: 88. (1916) | Torrey ex Steudel: Syn. Pl. Glumac. 2: 21. (1855) |
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