Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus pseudothyrsiflorus |
|
---|---|---|
hermaphrodite flatsedge |
flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. |
Culms | trigonous, (10–)30–80(–140) cm × (0.4–)1–3(–5) mm, glabrous. |
trigonous, base thickened, tuberous, 15–40 cm × 2–2.6 mm, glabrous. |
Leaves | V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (5–)15–70(–90) cm × (2–)4–10(–13) mm, glabrous. |
flat to V-shaped, 10–30 cm × (3–)4–5.8 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. |
spike 1, densely oblong to ellipsoid, 10–20 × 10–20 mm; rays 4–12, 10–20 cm bracts 3–6, horizontal to ascending at 30°, V-shaped, 3–15 cm × (3–)4(–5.8) mm; rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.5–0.7 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. |
(5–)10–20(–30), linear to oblong, quadrangular, (2.2–)4–12(–16) × 0.7–1.2 mm, densly packed on rachis with 11–21 spikelets per 5 mm rachis; distal spikelet spreading or ascending; floral scales persistent, 1–5, appressed, laterally whitish to reddish brown, medially green, narrowly oblong to ovate, laterally 3–6-ribbed, 2.4–3.4 × 1.6–2 mm, apex rounded to ± acute, entire, mucronate, mucro 0.1–0.3 mm; sterile terminal scale, involute, only 0.4–0.6 mm wide with mucro 0.2–0.5 mm. |
Flowers | anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm; styles 0.4–1.6 mm; stigmas 1–1.5 mm. |
anthers (0.3–)0.4–0.7 mm; styles 0.4–0.5 mm; stigmas 0.5–0.9 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. |
light brown, sessile to slightly stipitate, ellipsoid to narrowly ellipsoid to narrowly obovoid, 1.4–1.9 × 0.5–0.75 mm, apex slightly apiculate, surfaces puncticulate. |
Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus pseudothyrsiflorus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–fall. | Fruiting mid summer–early fall (Jul–Sep). |
Habitat | Arroyos | Damp, disturbed soils, croplands |
Elevation | 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft) | 0–1000 m (0–3300 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; TX; Mexico; South America; West Indies |
TX; Mexico |
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. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Carex hermaphrodita, Mariscus hermaphroditus, Mariscus jacquinii | C. uniflorus var. pseudothyrsiflorus |
Name authority | (Jacquin) Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: 88. (1916) | (Kükenthal) J. Rich. Carter & S. D. Jones: Rhodora 99: 330. (1998) |
Web links |