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hot springs fimbristylis, hot springs fimbry

Carolina fimbry

Habit Plants perennial, robust, 50–150 cm, cespitose or with culms solitary; rhizomes scaly, slender, elongate. Plants perennial, to 150(–200) cm, cespitose or not; rhizomes scaly, slender, elongate.
Culms

wand-like, at least 50 cm.

Leaves

nearly distichous, spreading to ascending, 1/2 length of culms;

sheath margins entire, backs smooth to pubescent;

ligule present, complete;

blades narrowly linear, proximally flat, 2–3.5(–4) mm wide, margins scabrid-ciliate, abaxial surface sometimes pubescent.

nearly distichous, spreading to ascending, 1/2 length of culms, sheath margins ciliolate at junction with blade, backs smooth to pubescent;

ligule present, usually complete;

blades linear, 2–5 mm wide, flat to involute, margins scabridulous, surfaces mostly glabrous.

Inflorescences

anthelae simple or compound, longer than wide;

scapes wandlike, nearly terete or slightly compressed, distally 1 mm thick, marginal ribs scabrid;

longest primary involucral bract shorter than panicle.

anthelae compound, dense or diffuse, mostly longer than broad;

scapes wandlike, broadly linear, distally usually compressed, marginal ribs scabrid distally;

longest primary involucral bract exceeding or shorter than anthela.

Spikelets

pale dull brown, lance-ovoid to cylindric-ellipsoid, 10–12 mm;

fertile scales ovate, 3.5–4 mm, apex broadly acute, ciliate, surface uniformly puberulent, midrib excurrent as mucro or cusp.

pale brown or red-brown, broadly ovoid, ellipsoid, or lanceoloid, 5–15 mm;

fertile scales ovate, 3–4 mm, apex rounded, often puberulent distally, midrib excurrent as scabrid mucro or short cusp.

Flowers

stamens 3;

styles 2-fid, flat, fimbriate.

stamens 3;

styles 2-fid, flat, fimbriolate.

Achenes

dark brown, lenticular-obovoid, 1.5 mm, finely cancellate, with 20 or more longitudinal rows of horizontally rectangular pits per side.

pale to deep brown, lenticular-obovoid, 1 mm, finely but definitely cancellate with 14–15 horizontally oriented lattices per side.

2n

= 20.

= 20, 30, 60.

Fimbristylis thermalis

Fimbristylis caroliniana

Phenology Fruiting spring–fall. Fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat Mineralized sands of hot springs, alkaline seep meadows Sands or sandy peats of slightly brackish to circumneutral marsh, interdunal swales and low sandy areas near coast
Elevation 300–600 m (1000–2000 ft) 0–100 m (0–300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; NV; UT; Mexico (Baja California, Coahuila)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; DE; FL; GA; LA; MD; MS; NC; NJ; SC; TX; VA; Mexico; West Indies
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The tallest, coarsest plants of Fimbristylis caroliniana, formerly referred to as F. harperi Britton ex Small, are the most clonal of North American Fimbristyloids, some clones literally covering acres of sandy swale or beach.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 23, p. 124. FNA vol. 23, p. 123.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Fimbristylis Cyperaceae > Fimbristylis
Sibling taxa
F. annua, F. autumnalis, F. brevivaginata, F. caroliniana, F. castanea, F. cymosa, F. decipiens, F. dichotoma, F. miliacea, F. perpusilla, F. puberula, F. schoenoides, F. squarrosa, F. tomentosa, F. vahlii
F. annua, F. autumnalis, F. brevivaginata, F. castanea, F. cymosa, F. decipiens, F. dichotoma, F. miliacea, F. perpusilla, F. puberula, F. schoenoides, F. squarrosa, F. thermalis, F. tomentosa, F. vahlii
Synonyms Scirpus carolinianus, F. harperi
Name authority S. Watson: Botany (Fortieth Parallel), 360. (1871) (Lamarck) Fernald: Rhodora 42: 246. (1940)
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