Cyperus polystachyos |
Cyperus erythrorhizos |
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many-spike flatsedge |
red-root cyperus, red-root flat sedge, redroot nutgrass |
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Habit | Herbs, perennial (annual?), cespitose. | Herbs, annual, cespitose. |
Culms | trigonous or ± terete, (3–)20–45(–70) cm × (0.8–) 1.2–2 mm, glabrous. |
trigonous to roundly trigonous, (0.5–)5–25(–105) cm × 1–2.5(–7.5) mm, glabrous. |
Leaves | (2–) 6–10(–16), flat to V-shaped, (2–) 10–30(–60) cm × 1–4 mm. |
flat to inversely W-shaped, 5–25(–90) cm × 2–5(–11) mm. |
Inflorescences | spike 1, loosely ovoid to densely turbinate, 12–40 × 10–25 mm; rachis 3–10 mm; rays 1–8(–12), 0.5–3(–6) cm; 2d order rays absent; if rays absent, inflorescence single dense cluster of spikelets, 12–40 mm diam.; bracts (3–)4–6(–7), horizontal to ascending at 45°, flanged V-shaped, (2–)5–15(–23) cm × 1–4 mm. |
spikes 1–3(–6), rather densely cylindric-ovoid, (4–)10–30(–45) × (6–)10–16(–23) mm; rays 2–6(–12), 1–8(–28) cm; bracts (3–)5–7(–11), horizontal to ascending at 30°, inversely W-shaped, (3–)10–20(–70) cm × 1–3(–12) mm; rachilla persistent, at maturity becoming laterally free, remaining firmly attached proximally, wings 0.3(–0.4) mm wide. |
Spikelets | (5–)15–30(–40), spreading to appressed-ascending, linear-lanceoloid to linear, compressed, 8–18(–40) × (1–)1.3–1.6(–2) mm; floral scales (8–)12–25(–66), laterally stramineous to light brown, medially green, laterally ribless, medially 3–5-ribbed, oblong, (1.5–)1.8–2.4 × (1–)1.2–1.4 mm, apex acute to ± acute, mucronate. |
(20–)40–80, linear, quadrangular, 3–8(–11) × 1–1.5 mm; floral scales deciduous, 6–16(–30), appressed, laterally light brown with reddish speckles, medially greenish, laterally ribless, medially 3-ribbed, oblong-ovate to obovate, quadrangular to subterete, 1.3–1.5 × 0.8–1.2 mm, apex obtuse, mucronulate. |
Flowers | stamens 2; anthers (0.4–)0.5–0.8 mm, connective not prolonged; styles 0.6–1(–1.4) mm; stigmas (1–)1.4–2 mm. |
anthers 0.2–0.3 mm, connectives 0.1 mm; styles 0.7–0.8 mm; stigmas 0.4 mm. |
Achenes | light to dark brown, oblong, (0.8–)0.9–1.1(–1.2) × 0.4–0.5(–0.6) mm, base cuneate to ± stipelike, apex truncate, apiculate, surfaces punctate to minutely punctate with raised cells. |
light grayish to brown, sessile, ovoid, (0.4–)0.7–1 × 0.4–0.6 mm, apex rounded, apiculate, surfaces glabrous. |
Cyperus polystachyos |
Cyperus erythrorhizos |
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Phenology | Fruiting summer–early fall. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Shores, ditches, swales between dunes | Emergent shorelines |
Elevation | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) | 0–1500 m (0–4900 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; DC; DE; FL; GA; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MS; NC; NJ; NY; OK; PA; SC; TX; VA; WV; Mexico; Central America; South America; Asia; Africa
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AL; AR; AZ; CA; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; WA; WI; WV; MB; ON; Mexico (Baja California)
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Discussion | Cyperus polystachyos is polymorphic. Adequate understanding of the infraspecific variations of C. polystachyos requires a worldwide examination, which is beyond the scope of this study. The segregates, C. fugax and C. filicinus, are recognized here; they have been usually accepted by recent workers (e.g., M. L. Fernald 1950; H. A. Gleason and A. Cronquist 1991). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 160. | FNA vol. 23, p. 172. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycreus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. brizaeus, C. polystachyos var. leptostachyus, Pycreus polystachyos | C. cupreus, C. erythrorhizos var. cupreus, C. occidentalis, C. washingtonensis |
Name authority | Rottbøll: Descr. Pl. Rar., 21. (1772) | Muhlenberg: Descr. Gram., 20. (1817) |
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