Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus spectabilis |
|
---|---|---|
hermaphrodite flatsedge |
showy sedge, spectacular flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. |
Culms | trigonous, (10–)30–80(–140) cm × (0.4–)1–3(–5) mm, glabrous. |
trigonous, (12–)30–80(–90) cm × 0.7–1.7 mm, glabrous or nearly so. |
Leaves | V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (5–)15–70(–90) cm × (2–)4–10(–13) mm, glabrous. |
flat to V-shaped, 20–45 cm × 2–4 mm, margins and keel minutely scabridulous. |
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, loosely ovoid to ovoid-ellipsoid, (1.5–)2.5–7 × (1–)1.5–3.5 cm; rays 1–4, 1–15 cm; rachis 1–2 cm; bracts 2–4, oblique or ascending, 1–15(–24) cm × 0.4–3.5 mm, keel, margins scabrid; 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–)8–40, linear, compressed-quadrangular, 8–18 × (2.4–)2.8–4 mm; floral scales deciduous, (2–)4–12, laterally light brown to reddish brown, medially green or light brown, laterally 2–3-ribbed, oblong-ovate, 1.6–2.6 × (1.5–)1.6–2.2(–2.4) mm, apex obtuse, sometimes mucronulate, medially glabrous. |
Flowers | anthers (0.4–)0.6–1 mm; styles 0.4–1.6 mm; stigmas 1–1.5 mm. |
anthers 0.4–0.6 mm; styles 0.3–0.6 mm; stigmas 0.6–1 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. |
brownish, stipitate, ellipsoid, 1.6–2 × (0.7–)0.9–1 mm, stipe whitish, 0.1–0.2 mm, apex obtuse, slightly apiculate, surfaces papillose. |
Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus spectabilis |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–fall. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Arroyos | Arroyos, riverbanks, clearings in montane forests |
Elevation | 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft) | 100–1300 m (300–4300 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; TX; Mexico; South America; West Indies |
AZ; 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, p. 178. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Carex hermaphrodita, Mariscus hermaphroditus, Mariscus jacquinii | C. buckleyi, C. parryi, C. scaberrimus, C. spectabilis var. filiformis, C. spectabilis var. parryi, C. spectabilis var. scaberrimus |
Name authority | (Jacquin) Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: 88. (1916) | Sprengel: Novi Provent., 15. (1818) |
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