Cyperus distans L.f.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
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Family
Cyperaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Perennial, 30-100 cm tall; rhizome very short, cormlike; culms solitary or sometimes 2-3, 2-6 mm wide near base, 3-angled, finely to coarsely ribbed and channeled, green, smooth, glabrous, sheathing base of culm, (4-)5-10(-15) mm wide. Leaves 5-7; blades flat or sometimes folded, 20-60 cm long, 5-8 mm wide, finely veined, glabrous, subabruptly acuminate at apex, the margins, midrib below, and the 2 lateral veins above scabrous; sheaths finely veined, septate, glabrous, pale brown to reddish brown, eligulate. Inflorescence a compound umbel-like corymb, (6-)11 -21 (-30) cm diam.; involucral bracts leaflike, (5-)6-7(-10), the lower to 70 cm long, 3.5-13.5 mm wide, the uppermost linear to subulate, shorter; rays 6-9, unequal, to 17 cm long, 0.5-1.2(-2) mm wide, with tubular prophylls prolonged dorsally into 2, long, linear-subulate teeth, the primary rays elongate, secondary rays very short or the spikes sessile; spikes oblong-ovate to broadly ovate, 2.5-3.5(-4) x 1.5-3.0(-4) cm, the spikelets 9-32, loose, with (5-)7-35(-75) flowers, linear, cylindrical, divergent, 7- 30(-70) X 0.5-0.6 mm (to 1.8 mm wide after spreading of mature flowers), rachilla flattened, zigzagged, winged, persistent; scales elliptic to oblong-elliptic, boat-shaped to obtusely keeled, 1.6-2 x 0.8-1.1 mm , remotely 2-ranked, spreading at maturity, membranous, with broad, scarious margins, 3-5-nerved, reddish brown on sides, with greenish keel, the apex obtuse. Stamens 3, the anthers 0.5-0.6 mm long; style 3-branched from just above the base. Achene 3-angled, oblong to oblong-ellipsoid, 1.3-1.7 x 0.4-0.5 mm , slightly curved on side facing rachilla, apiculate at apex, dark brown, minutely reticulate.
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Distribution
Occasional in seepage areas along roadsides. Bordeaux Mountain (W59, A5066), Gift Hill (A5282). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Tortola; a pantropical weed.
Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America|