Cyperus elegans L.
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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 - Cespitose perennial, 20-90 cm tall; rhizome short; culms 1.5-3.2 mm wide near base, obtusely 3-angled to subcylindrical, coarsely ribbed, remotely scabrous, sheathing base of culm 5-10 mm wide. Leaves several; blades inrolled along margins, laterally compressed, channeled toward apex, 7-75 cm long, 2-4 mm wide (unfolded), sticky, smooth, soft and spongy below, finely veined and septate above, scabrous on the margins, the narrowly acuminate bristly apex somewhat 3-angled; sheaths coarsely veined, septate, glabrous, eligulate. Inflorescence an umbel-like corymb, 9-20 cm diam.; involucral bracts leaflike, 5-6, septate, to 75 cm long, 2-4 mm wide (unfolded); rays obscurely 3-angled, remotely scabrous, the primary rays 5-9, unequal, ascending at anthesis, the lateral rays just below the central sessile spike divergent, reflexed at maturity, to 13 cm long, 0.5-1 mm wide, secondary rays 1-5, to 5 cm long, ascending at anthesis, becoming divergent (reflexed at maturity); spikes 8-30 x 10-25 mm; spikelets palmately disposed in dense clusters or glomerules of 5-40 at the ends of rays, ovate, oblong-ovate, or ovate-elliptic, subflattened, 5-12 x 2-4 mm , with 6-20 flowers; rachilla wingless; scales broadly ovate, obtusely curvate-keeled, 2.2-2.9 x 2-2.5 mm, 7-9-nerved medially, with 2-3 coarse nerves on each side above the scarious margins, pale green, tinged with reddish brown on sides, sticky near base at maturity, scabrous on keel distally, the apex slightly recurved-cuspidate. Stamens 3, the anthers linear, ca. 1 mm long, apiculate; styles 3-branched from just above the base. Achene 3-angled, obovoid, 1.4-1.9 x 0.7-1 mm, shortbeaked, maturing silvery-gray.
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Discussion
Cyperus viscosus Sw., Prodr. 20. 1788. Scirpus viscosus (Sw.) Lam., Tabl. Encycl. 1: 142. 1791. Cyperus confertus sensu Griseb., Fl. Brit. W . I. 563. 1864, for most part, non Swartz, 1788.
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Distribution
Common in open, disturbed areas. Trail to Fortsberg (A4084), Emmaus (A1999). Also on Anegada, St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Virgin Gorda; southern United States, Mexico, Central America, Pern, Argentina, and throughout the West Indies.
Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Anegada Virgin Islands South America| Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| United States of America North America| México Mexico North America| Central America| Argentina South America| West Indies|