Cyperus surinamensis |
Cyperus retrorsus |
|
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tropical flatsedge |
pine barren flatsedge |
|
Habit | Herbs, annual or short-lived perennial, annuals cespitose; rhizomes absent. | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, shortly rhizomatous. |
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). |
trigonous, 20–50(–85) cm × 1–2(–4) mm, glabrous. |
Leaves | 3–9, V-shaped, (12–)25–45(–65) cm × 2–10 mm; blades and bracts without cross ribs. |
3–6(–10), 10–40(–55) cm × 1.5–4(–5) mm, V- to inversely W-shaped. |
Inflorescence(s) | 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. |
spike 1, densely oblong-ovoid often with small basal branches, 8–16 × 4–12(–16) mm; rays 4–8(–11), 0.5–3.5(–8.5) cm; bracts (3–)4–6(–10), ascending at (30–)45°, flat to broadly V-shaped, (4–)14–30(–55) cm × 1–5 mm, scabridulous along margins only; rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.2–0.3 mm wide. |
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. |
40–120, oblong-lanceoloid, subterete, 2.2–4(–4.5) × 0.8–1.6 mm; distal spikelet spreading or ascending; floral scales persistent, 2–5, appressed, brown to stramineous, or fuscous and lustrous, medially greenish and 1(–3)-ribbed, laterally greenish to yellowish white and 3–4-ribbed, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 1.8–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, subcoriacous. |
Flowers | stamen 1; anthers 0.5 mm; styles 0.8–1.1 mm; stigmas 0.5 mm. |
anthers 0.3–0.5 mm; styles 0.5–0.8 mm; stigmas 0.6–0.9 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. |
brown, oblong-ellipsoid, 1.2–1.7 × 0.5–0.6 mm, base cuneate, apex subacute, surfaces papillose. |
Cyperus surinamensis |
Cyperus retrorsus |
|
Phenology | Fruiting late spring–early fall. | Fruiting summer (Jun–Aug). |
Habitat | Moist sunny areas with disturbed soils | Open woods and thickets in moist to dry, sandy soils |
Elevation | 0–200 m (0–700 ft) | 0–1000 m (0–3300 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; FL; GA; KS; LA; MS; OK; SC; TN; TX; Mexico; Central America; South America
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AL; AR; DC; DE; FL; GA; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; NY; OK; SC; TN; TX; VA; Mexico (Tamaulipas)
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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.) |
Cyperus retrorsus was reported in Indiana (M. L. Horvat 1941); we have been unable to confirm the report. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 153. | FNA vol. 23, p. 187. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Pycnostachys | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Mariscus cylindricus, C. cylindricus, Mariscus retrorsus | |
Name authority | Rottbøll: Descr. Pl. Rar., 20. (1772) | Chapman: Bot. Gaz. 3: 17. (1878) |
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