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bristly flatsedge

Habit Herbs, perennial, cespitose, with well-developed rhizomes.
Culms

trigonous, 30–100 cm × 2–4 mm, basally cormlike, glabrous.

Leaves

flat to broadly V-shaped, 20–70 cm × 4–6 mm, glabrous except for marginal prickles.

Inflorescences

spikes loosely to densely ovoid, oblong (2 times long as wide), 10–12 × 6–9 mm;

rays 6–11, 1–16 cm, glabrous;

bracts 5–10, ascending at 30–45°, flat, 6–25 cm × 3–6 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings 0.5 mm wide, covering nearly entire length of achene.

Spikelets

(20–)40–100(–120), proximal spikelets reflexed somewhat, distal ones divaricate, ± terete, lanceoloid, 6–6.8 × 1–1.4 mm;

floral scales persistent, 1–2(–3), appressed, golden brown, lanceolate, laterally 5–6-ribbed, 3.8–4.9 × 1.4–1.6 mm, apex mucronate, mucro at most 0.3 mm.

Flowers

anthers 1–1.3 mm;

styles 0.8–1 mm;

stigmas 2–3 mm.

Achenes

brown, sessile, linear, 2.5–2.8 × 0.5–0.7 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces muriculate.

Cyperus hystricinus

Phenology Fruiting late summer–early fall (Jul–Sep).
Habitat Xeric, sandy soils of sand hills and pine barrens
Elevation 0–200 m (0–700 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; DC; DE; GA; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; TX; VA
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Discussion

Cyperus hystricinus resembles C. plukenetii and C. retrofractus; it can be readily distinguished from both by its glabrous culms. Overly mature specimens of C. lancastriensis are frequently misidentified as C. hystricinus; C. hystricinus may be confirmed by its narrow, nearly glabrous leaves and bracts, golden brown spikelets, longer, narrower achenes, and elongated rhizome internodes (to 15 mm vs. 5 mm in 76. C. lancastriensis).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 23.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus
Sibling taxa
C. acuminatus, C. aggregatus, C. alopecuroides, C. amabilis, C. articulatus, C. bipartitus, C. cephalanthus, C. compressus, C. croceus, C. cuspidatus, C. dentatus, C. dentoniae, C. diandrus, C. difformis, C. digitatus, C. dipsaceus, C. distans, C. distinctus, C. drummondii, C. echinatus, C. elegans, C. entrerianus, C. eragrostis, C. erythrorhizos, C. esculentus, C. fendlerianus, C. filicinus, C. filiculmis, C. filiformis, C. flavescens, C. flavicomus, C. floribundus, C. fugax, C. fuligineus, C. fuscus, C. giganteus, C. gracilis, C. granitophilus, C. grayi, C. grayoides, C. haspan, C. hermaphroditus, C. houghtonii, C. hypopitys, C. involucratus, C. iria, C. laevigatus, C. lancastriensis, C. lanceolatus, C. lecontei, C. lentiginosus, C. ligularis, C. lupulinus, C. manimae, C. microiria, C. mutisii, C. niger, C. ochraceus, C. odoratus, C. onerosus, C. ovatus, C. owanii, C. oxylepis, C. pallidicolor, C. papyrus, C. parishii, C. pilosus, C. planifolius, C. plukenetii, C. polystachyos, C. prolifer, C. prolixus, C. pseudothyrsiflorus, C. pseudovegetus, C. pumilus, C. reflexus, C. refractus, C. retroflexus, C. retrofractus, C. retrorsus, C. rotundus, C. sanguinolentus, C. schweinitzii, C. serotinus, C. seslerioides, C. setigerus, C. spectabilis, C. sphacelatus, C. sphaerolepis, C. squarrosus, C. strigosus, C. surinamensis, C. tetragonus, C. thyrsiflorus, C. virens
Synonyms C. retrofractus var. hystricinus
Name authority Fernald: Rhodora 8: 127. (1906)
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