Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus thyrsiflorus |
|
---|---|---|
hermaphrodite flatsedge |
southern flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. |
Culms | trigonous, (10–)30–80(–140) cm × (0.4–)1–3(–5) mm, glabrous. |
trigonous, (15–) 20–40(–65) cm × 0.5–1 mm, glabrous. |
Leaves | V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (5–)15–70(–90) cm × (2–)4–10(–13) mm, glabrous. |
V-shaped, (10–)20–40 cm × 0.8–2.8(–3) mm, glabrous. |
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-cylindric, (15–)25–35(–40) × 12–18(–22) mm, (spikelets loosely spaced, 7–9 per 5 mm of rachis); rays (5–)6–8(–11), 0.5–4(–7.5) cm; bracts (4–)5–7(–8), ascending at 30º, (4–)10–30(–35) cm × (1–)2–4(–7) mm; rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.4–0.5 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. |
(20–)40–80(–100), linear, ± cylindric, scarcely compressed, (4.5–)6–9(–11) × (0.5–) 0.6–0.7(–1) mm; floral scales persistent, (1–)2–3(–4), appressed, medially green, laterally light brown to tawny or bronze, medially (1–)3-ribbed, laterally 3-ribbed, oblong, (2.6–)2.8–3.2(–3.4) × (1–)1.2(–1.4) mm, apex acute, mucronulate, mucro to 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 0.6–0.8 mm; styles (0.4–)0.6–1(–1.2) mm; stigmas persistent on achenes, prominently exserted from floral scales, (1.5–)2–3(–4) 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 to reddish brown, stipitate, narrowly oblong, 1.8–2.1 × (0.4–)0.5(–0.7) mm, stipe 0.1–0.2 × 0.1–0.2 mm, apex apiculate, acute, surfaces puncticulate. |
Cyperus hermaphroditus |
Cyperus thyrsiflorus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–fall. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Arroyos | Dry, open woods |
Elevation | 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft) | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; TX; Mexico; South America; West Indies |
AL; FL; GA; LA; TX; Mexico; South America; 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.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 186. | FNA vol. 23, p. 185. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Carex hermaphrodita, Mariscus hermaphroditus, Mariscus jacquinii | C. anceps, C. dissitiflorus, C. pallens, C. regiomontanus var. pallens, C. tribrachiatus, Mariscus dissitiflorus, Mariscus pallens, Mariscus tribrachiatus |
Name authority | (Jacquin) Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: 88. (1916) | Junghuhn: Linnaea 6: 24. (1831) |
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