Cyperus polystachyos |
Cyperus spectabilis |
|
---|---|---|
many-spike flatsedge |
showy sedge, spectacular flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial (annual?), cespitose. | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. |
Culms | trigonous or ± terete, (3–)20–45(–70) cm × (0.8–) 1.2–2 mm, glabrous. |
trigonous, (12–)30–80(–90) cm × 0.7–1.7 mm, glabrous or nearly so. |
Leaves | (2–) 6–10(–16), flat to V-shaped, (2–) 10–30(–60) cm × 1–4 mm. |
flat to V-shaped, 20–45 cm × 2–4 mm, margins and keel minutely scabridulous. |
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. |
spike 1, loosely ovoid to ovoid-ellipsoid, (1.5–)2.5–7 × (1–)1.5–3.5 cm; rays 1–4, 1–15 cm; rachis 1–2 cm; bracts 2–4, oblique or ascending, 1–15(–24) cm × 0.4–3.5 mm, keel, margins scabrid; rachilla ± deciduous, wingless. |
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. |
(3–)8–40, linear, compressed-quadrangular, 8–18 × (2.4–)2.8–4 mm; floral scales deciduous, (2–)4–12, laterally light brown to reddish brown, medially green or light brown, laterally 2–3-ribbed, oblong-ovate, 1.6–2.6 × (1.5–)1.6–2.2(–2.4) mm, apex obtuse, sometimes mucronulate, medially glabrous. |
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 0.4–0.6 mm; styles 0.3–0.6 mm; stigmas 0.6–1 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. |
brownish, stipitate, ellipsoid, 1.6–2 × (0.7–)0.9–1 mm, stipe whitish, 0.1–0.2 mm, apex obtuse, slightly apiculate, surfaces papillose. |
Cyperus polystachyos |
Cyperus spectabilis |
|
Phenology | Fruiting summer–early fall. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Shores, ditches, swales between dunes | Arroyos, riverbanks, clearings in montane forests |
Elevation | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) | 100–1300 m (300–4300 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
|
AZ; TX; Mexico |
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.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 160. | FNA vol. 23, p. 178. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycreus | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. brizaeus, C. polystachyos var. leptostachyus, Pycreus polystachyos | C. buckleyi, C. parryi, C. scaberrimus, C. spectabilis var. filiformis, C. spectabilis var. parryi, C. spectabilis var. scaberrimus |
Name authority | Rottbøll: Descr. Pl. Rar., 21. (1772) | Sprengel: Novi Provent., 15. (1818) |
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