Cyperus lanceolatus |
Cyperus articulatus |
|
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epiphytic flatsedge |
jointed flatsedge, priprioca |
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Habit | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. | Herbs perennial; rhizomes to 200 cm. |
Culms | trigonous, compressed, 15–75 cm × 0.5–3 mm, glabrous. |
to 25 cm apart, 1(–3) together, terete (scarcely compressed in drying), occasionally trigonous for apical 1/3, 40–140(–200) cm, 4–12 mm thick at base, (1.2–)1.5–2.5 mm thick at apex (with conspicuous transverse septa ca. 3 cm apart basally, to 3–5 mm apart apically), glabrous or infrequently scabrid on angles apically; sheaths at base of culm, 2–3, (5–)10–25 cm, loose, papery. |
Leaves | 1–3, 5–30 cm × 1–2 mm. |
usually bladeless, blades when present, cross ribs prominent, especially adaxially, (1–)10–20(–40) cm × 4–6(–9) mm. |
Inflorescences | spikes 1(–2), ovoid, 5–23 × 9–21 mm; rays 2–3(–4), 0–15 mm; if rays absent, head single, compact, sessile, (12–)15–20 mm diam.; bracts 2–3, horizontal to vertical, 2–14 cm × 0.5–3.5 mm. |
spikes 1(–5), broadly ovoid to ± umbellate, 15–45 × 10–30 mm; rays 5–7(–10), 0.3–8(–12) cm; 2d order rays occasionally present, 5–20 mm; bracts 2(–4), erect, longest appearing to be continuation of culm, deltate to lance-linear, 0.2–2(–9) cm × 1.5–4.5 mm; rachilla persistent, wings translucent, whitish, or stramineous, 0.4 mm wide. |
Spikelets | 1–6, oblong-lanceoloid, 5–26 × 2–3 mm; floral scales 12–54, closely imbricate, laterally yellowish brown, medially pale brown, occasionally greenish, laterally 1-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, distinctly 2-keeled basally, ovate, 1.8–2.6 × 1.4–1.7 mm, apex obtuse. |
(1–)5–10, linear, compressed, 10–35(–45) × 1.1–2 mm; floral scales deciduous, 15–45, spreading or appressed, laterally light brown, medially green to brown, laterally 1–2-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, oblong-elliptic to ovate, 2.9–3.7 × 1.1–1.6(–1.8) mm, apex acute. |
Flowers | stamens 2; anthers 0.4–0.5 mm, connectives not prolonged; styles 0.3–1 mm; stigmas 0.6–0.8(–1) mm. |
anthers 1.7–2.4 mm; styles 1.2–3.6 mm; stigmas 1.7–6 mm. |
Achenes | brown, network of ridges forming isodiametric or square cells, stipitate, obovoid to ellipsoid, 1.1–1.3 × (0.5–)0.6 mm, apex acute to broadly rounded, surfaces minutely punctate or finely papillose. |
brown, stipitate, obovoid-ellipsoid, 1.2–1.6 × 0.4–0.6 mm, stipe 0.1 mm, apex markedly apiculate, surfaces puncticulate. |
Cyperus lanceolatus |
Cyperus articulatus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Marshes | Marshes, shallow water, ditches |
Elevation | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; FL; GA; LA; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America; Africa
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AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; SC; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America; Asia; Africa
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Discussion | In habit, Cyperus articulatus is reminscent of larger plants of Juncus or Schoenoplectus and is the only North American Cyperus with such a reedlike appearance. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 162. | FNA vol. 23, p. 167. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycreus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. densus, C. humboldtianus, C. lanceolatus var. compositus, Pycreus densus | C. articulatus var. multiflorus, C. articulatus var. nodosus, C. corymbosus var. subnodosus, C. nodosus, C. nodosus var. subnodosus, C. subnodosus |
Name authority | Poiret: in J. Lamarck et al., Encycl. 7: 245. (1806) | Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 44. (1753) |
Web links |