Cyperus lanceolatus |
Cyperus hermaphroditus |
|
---|---|---|
epiphytic flatsedge |
hermaphrodite flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. |
Culms | trigonous, compressed, 15–75 cm × 0.5–3 mm, glabrous. |
trigonous, (10–)30–80(–140) cm × (0.4–)1–3(–5) mm, glabrous. |
Leaves | 1–3, 5–30 cm × 1–2 mm. |
V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (5–)15–70(–90) cm × (2–)4–10(–13) mm, glabrous. |
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), 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. |
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. |
(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. |
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 (0.4–)0.6–1 mm; styles 0.4–1.6 mm; stigmas 1–1.5 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 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. |
Cyperus lanceolatus |
Cyperus hermaphroditus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer. | Fruiting summer–fall. |
Habitat | Marshes | Arroyos |
Elevation | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) | 500–1200 m (1600–3900 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; FL; GA; LA; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America; Africa
|
AZ; 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. 162. | FNA vol. 23, p. 186. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycreus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. densus, C. humboldtianus, C. lanceolatus var. compositus, Pycreus densus | Carex hermaphrodita, Mariscus hermaphroditus, Mariscus jacquinii |
Name authority | Poiret: in J. Lamarck et al., Encycl. 7: 245. (1806) | (Jacquin) Standley: Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 18: 88. (1916) |
Web links |