Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus lentiginosus |
|
---|---|---|
hermaphrodite flatsedge |
Latin American flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. |
Culms | trigonous, (10–)30–80(–140) cm × (0.4–)1–3(–5) mm, glabrous. |
trigonous, (1–) 20–40(–75) cm × 1–1.5(–2.5) mm, glabrous. |
Leaves | V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (5–)15–70(–90) cm × (2–)4–10(–13) mm, glabrous. |
inversely W-shaped, 10–40(–70) cm × (1–)3–6(–10) 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 1(–3), broadly and loosely ovoid to oblong-ellipsoid, (15–)20–30(–50) × 20–30(–45) mm; bracts (3–)5–7(–10), ascending at 30(–45)°, inversely W-shaped, 10–30(–50) cm × (1–)3–5(–11) mm; rays (2–)3–6(–12), (1–)3–10(–17) cm; rachilla deciduous, wings ca. 0.3 mm wide. |
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. |
(10–)25–50(–100), ± terete, (appearing compressed due to excurved apices of floral scales), (8–)12–15(–24) × (0.8–)1.1–1.4(–1.8) mm; floral scales persistent, (4–)6–8(–14), golden brown, off-white to stramineous, densely red-glandular punctate, green medially, 3–4-ribbed laterally, 3–5-ribbed medially, oblong-lanceolate, (3.2–)4–4.5 × 1.2–1.6 mm, apex blunt, mucronulate to mucronate, mucro 0.2–0.5 mm; proximal scales mucronulate, distal scales mucronate; terminal scale conduplicate. |
Flowers | anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm; styles 0.4–1.6 mm; stigmas 1–1.5 mm. |
anthers 0.5–0.8(–1.4) mm; styles 0.8–1 mm; stigmas 1–2 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, ± sessile to stipitate, oblong-ellipsoid, 1.7–2 × 0.6–0.7 mm, 0.1(–0.2) × 0.2 mm, apex rounded, apiculate from dark purple style base, surfaces papillose. |
Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus lentiginosus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–fall. | Fruiting spring–summer. |
Habitat | Arroyos | Thickets, open woods |
Elevation | 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft) | 0–50 m (0–200 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; TX; Mexico; South America; West Indies |
FL; TX; Mexico; West Indies |
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.) |
Cyperus lentiginosus has been treated as a variety of C. tenuis (G. Kükenthal 1935–1936). The two taxa differ in the longer scales with cuspidate apices of C. lentiginosus, the inversely W-shaped leaves and bracts (those of C. tenuis are V-shaped), and the open spikes (those of C. tenuis are dense). (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. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Carex hermaphrodita, Mariscus hermaphroditus, Mariscus jacquinii | C. strigosus var. gracilis, C. tenuis var. lentiginosus |
Name authority | (Jacquin) Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: 88. (1916) | Millspaugh & Chase: Publ. Field Columbian Mus., Bot. Ser. 3: 74. (1903) |
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