Cyperus surinamensis |
Cyperus ochraceus |
|
---|---|---|
tropical flatsedge |
pond flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, annual or short-lived perennial, annuals cespitose; rhizomes absent. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose; rhizomes oblique. |
Culms | 2–6, trigonous, (10–)35–80 cm × 0.5–2(–4) mm, scabridulous with retrorse prickles (infrequently glabrous or rarely also with extrorse prickles). |
roundly trigonous, 20–50(–80) cm × 1–3 mm, glabrous. |
Leaves | 3–9, V-shaped, (12–)25–45(–65) cm × 2–10 mm; blades and bracts without cross ribs. |
3–11, V-shaped, 12–40 cm. |
Inflorescences | heads umbellate, 10–20(–30) mm diam.; rays 4–12, 1–6 cm, minutely scabridulous with retrorse prickles; 2d order rays often present, 1–2(–3) cm; 3d order rays rarely present, 0.5–1.5 cm; bracts 3–8, approximately horizontal to ascending at 30°, V-shaped to flat, 2–15(–34) cm × 1–4(–5) mm. |
heads loosely to rather densely hemispheric, 15–30 mm diam.; rays 5–10, 2–12 cm; 2d order rays occasionally produced, 5–25 mm; bracts 4–8, approximately horizontal to ascending at 30°, V-shaped, 10–36 cm × 1.5–4 mm, margins glabrous. |
Spikelets | (6–)15–40(–65), greenish white, linear to linear-oblong, (3–)4–12(–15) × 1.5–2.5 mm; floral scales 10–50(–65), laterally pale yellow, light brown, or reddish brown, 2-keeled, medially 3-ribbed, lanceolate, 1–1.5 × 0.8–0.9 mm, distinctly reticulate, often scabridulous near apex. |
(4–)10–30, greenish, grayish, or stramineous, oblong to linear-oblong, compressed, (5–)7–10(–35) × 2–3 mm; floral scales 10–25(–85), laterally yellowish brown, medially yellowish or brownish, laterally ribless, medially 2-ribbed with groove between ribs, broadly ovate (widest in proximal 1/2), (1.2–)1.5–2 × 1.2–2 mm, apex obtuse (declined (45–)60–90º from rachilla). |
Flowers | stamen 1; anthers 0.5 mm; styles 0.8–1.1 mm; stigmas 0.5 mm. |
stamen 1; anthers oblong, 0.8–1.2 mm, connective not prolonged; styles basally thickened, confluent with summit of achene, 0.6–1.2 mm; stigmas 0.3–0.6 mm. |
Achenes | brown to reddish brown, slightly stipitate, narrowly ellipsoid, 0.7–0.9 × 0.2–0.4 mm, apex apiculate, surfaces papillate or obscurely reticulate to rugulose. |
reddish brown to dark purplish brown, dull or more often iridescent, stipitate, broadly ellipsoid, 1–1.5 mm × 0.4–0.6(–0.7) mm, base cuneate to ± attenuate, stipe 0.1–0.2 mm, apex acute, beak 0.1–0.5 mm, surfaces reticulate with network of low ridges. |
Cyperus surinamensis |
Cyperus ochraceus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting late spring–early fall. | Fruiting summer. |
Habitat | Moist sunny areas with disturbed soils | Damp, disturbed soils, ditches, marshes |
Elevation | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; FL; GA; KS; LA; MS; OK; SC; TN; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America
|
FL; GA; LA; MS; PA; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America
|
Discussion | Cyperus surinamensis is distinguished readily from all other species of the genus in the New World by the usual presence of retrorse prickles on the culms and rays. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
In Pennsylvania, Cyperus ochraceus has been recorded in areas where ballast has been discarded. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 153. | FNA vol. 23, p. 155. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | Rottbøll: Descr. Pl. Rar., 20. (1772) | Vahl: Enum. Pl. 2: 325. (1805) |
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