Cyperus tetragonus |
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fourangle flatsedge |
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Habit | Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. |
Culms | trigonous, (20–) 30–80 cm × 1–2.5 mm, glabrous or occasionally with scattered prickles on distal angles. |
Leaves | 9–11, flat to slightly V-shaped, 25–80 cm × 3.5–10 mm. |
Inflorescences | spikes (1–)3–6, loosely cylindric or oblong with parallel sides, 1.5–4 cm × 10–17 mm; rays 6–12, 2–25 cm, glabrous or rarely scabridulous proximal to spikes; bracts 6–11, ascending at 45°, flat, (1–)10–20(–26) cm × 1–10 mm; rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, 0.4–0.5 mm wide. |
Spikelets | 10–60, narrowly ellipsoid, quadrangular, 5–8 × 1.5–2 mm; floral scales persistent, (2–)3–7, appressed, clear at maturity, laterally reddish to purplish brown, medially greenish, often erose at maturity, laterally 3–5-ribbed, medially 3-ribbed, ovate-elliptic, 2.5–3.2 × 1.8–2.1 mm, apex obtuse. |
Flowers | anthers 0.8–1 mm; styles 0.3–0.5 mm; stigmas 2–2.5 mm. |
Achenes | brown to reddish brown, sessile, oblong-ovoid to broadly ellipsoid, slightly dorsiventrally flattened, 1.8–2 × 0.7–0.8 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces papillose to puncticulate. |
Cyperus tetragonus |
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Phenology | Fruiting summer–fall (Jun–Nov). |
Habitat | Open woods, thickets, barrier islands |
Elevation | 0–1000 m (0–3300 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AZ; FL; GA; MS; NC; NM
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Discussion | The status of Cyperus pringlei from the southwestern United States requires further study. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 23, p. 189. |
Parent taxa | Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus |
Sibling taxa | |
Synonyms | C. pringlei, C. tetragonus var. pringlei, Mariscus tetragonus |
Name authority | Elliott: Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 1: 71. (1821) |
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