Cyperus reflexus |
Cyperus digitatus |
|
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bentawn flatsedge |
finger flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, perennial, cespitose; rhizomes elongate, scaly, 2–3 mm wide. | Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, coarse. |
Culms | roundly trigonous to terete, 30–80 cm × 1–1.6 mm, glabrous. |
trigonous, 50–150 cm × 2–15 mm, glabrous (rarely sparsely scabridulous on angles proximal to bracts). |
Leaves | 1–6, 10–40 cm, glabrous or essentially so. |
inversely W-shaped, 40–100 cm × 5–15 mm. |
Inflorescences | heads ovoid to pyramidal, 9–15 mm diam.; rays 0 or 3–6, 0.5–4 cm, glabrous; bracts 3–4, longest erect, appearing as continuation of culm, others horizontal to ascending, 4–17 cm × 1.5–4 mm. |
spikes 1–4, cylindric, (2.5–)3.5–5 × 1.2–1.5 cm; rays 8–10, (1–)15–35 cm; 2d order rays 1–3 cm; bracts 8–12, ascending at 45–60°, (5–)20–80 cm × 3–15 mm; 2d order bracts 3–7 cm × 2–4 mm; rachilla persistent, wings 0.3 mm wide, at achene maturation adaxial edge of wing detaching from rachilla, base remaining firmly attached. |
Spikelets | 25–60, reddish with contrasting yellowish or greenish edges, oblong-lanceoloid, strongly compressed, 5–6(–15) × 1.5–2.5 mm; floral scales 10–22, laterally reddish, medially yellowish green, 2-keeled, laterally strongly 1-ribbed on each side, proximally grooved, ovate-elliptic, 1.4–2.2 × 0.8–1.5 mm, apex acute, apically scabridulous (sometimes glabrous). |
35–65, slightly compressed, linear, ± quadrangular, 5–8 × 0.8–1.1 mm; floral scales deciduous, 12–16, appressed, marginally clear, laterally reddish along midrib, medially green, laterally 1–2-ribbed, medially strongly 5-ribbed, ovate, 1.6–1.8 × 1.1–1.3 mm, apex mucronulate. |
Flowers | stamen 1; anthers 0.6–1 mm; styles 0.3–0.5 mm; stigmas 0.3–0.6 mm. |
anthers 0.4–0.5 mm, connective blunt, at most 0.1 mm; styles 0.8–1 mm; stigmas 0.4 mm. |
Achenes | reddish brown, stipitate, ovoid-ellipsoid, 0.8–0.9 × 0.3–0.4 mm, stipe 0.1–0.2 mm, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces reticulate or subtly rugulose. |
brown or whitish, sessile, ellipsoid, slightly wider at base, 0.9 × 0.4 mm, surfaces finely puncticulate. |
Cyperus reflexus |
Cyperus digitatus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting late spring–fall (May–Oct). | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Muddy soils or shallow waters | Wet pastures, stream banks |
Elevation | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) | 0–100 m (0–300 ft) |
Distribution |
FL; LA; OK; TX; Mexico; Central America (Costa Rica) |
FL; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America; Asia; Africa |
Discussion | Cyperus reflexus is recognized by its reddish scales with contrasting greenish or yellow keels and by the laterally 1ribbed scales. The lateral rib is most often situated where the reddish and yellowish parts of the scale meet. Two varieties of C. reflexus, var. reflexus and var. fraternus, have been recognized (M. F. Denton 1978b). Both varieties were noted as intermingled in the North American and South American segments of the widely disjunct range of C. reflexus. Such variation does not seem significant at the varietal level (see G. C. Tucker 1994; G. C. Tucker and R. McVaugh 1993). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
|
Source | FNA vol. 23. | FNA vol. 23, p. 173. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | C. arenicola, C. fraternus, C. pseudovegetus var. arenicola, C. reflexus var. fraternus | |
Name authority | Vahl: Enum. Pl. 2: 299. (1805) | Roxburgh: Fl. Ind. 1: 209. (1820) |
Web links |