Cyperus difformis

• Common Names
• Description
• Biology
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Common Names

Description

Family Cyperaceae

Herbs, annual or perennial , cespitose or not, rhizomatous or not, stoloniferous or not. Roots fibrous , principally adventitious. Stems (culms ) usually trigonous , occasionally terete , rarely compressed , usually solid, rarely hollow or septate . Leaves basal and/or cauline, alternate, usually 3-ranked, rarely 2-ranked or multi-ranked, bases forming cylindric sheaths enclosing stem, margins usually fused; junction of sheaths and blades often with adaxial flaps of tissue or fringes of hair (ligules) ; blades frequently absent from some basal leaves , rarely from cauline leaves, when present divergent or ascending , flat, folded, plicate , rolled, or terete, linear , venation parallel. Primary inflorescences (spikelets ) a shortened axis; glumaceous bracts (scales ) 1-many, spirally arranged , sometimes 2-ranked, usually appressed or ascending; scales usually all fertile , each subtending a single flower, sometimes proximal and/or distal scales empty; lateral spikes often with basal, usually empty, usually 2-keeled scale (prophyll) ; occasionally prophyll subtending and enclosing rachilla, bearing 1 pistillate , sometimes (0-) 3 staminate flowers and empty scales (Carex, Cymophyllus, and Kobresia) . Secondary inflorescences panicles, often modified to corymb, pseudoumbel, cyme (anthela), raceme , spike, or capitulum (head ), rarely single spike, usually subtended by foliaceous or, less frequently, glumaceous bracts; secondary inflorescences sometimes simulating spikelets (Carex, Cymophyllus, and Kobresia) . Flowers hypogynous, bisexual in most genera, unisexual in Scleria, Carex, Cymophyllus, and Kobresia; perianth absent or with (1-) 3-6(-30) bristles and/or scales, usually falling off with fruit; stamens usually (1-) 3, rarely more, usually distinct ; anthers basifixed ; pistils 1, 2-3(-4) -carpellate, fused, locule 1; style undivided or branches 2-3(-4) ; stigma sometimes papillate . Fruits achenes, usually trigonous or biconvex ; pericarps thin (except in Scleria) . Seeds 1; testa thin, free from pericarp; embryo basal; endosperm abundant. x = 5-ca. 100.

Genera ca. 100, species ca. 5000 (27 genera, 843 species in the flora ) : worldwide.

No consensus exists regarding the number of genera and the overall relationships of genera within Cyperaceae. The most recent account of the family (P. Goetghebeur 1998) recognized 104 genera distributed among 4 subfamilies and 14 tribes . That arrangement differs somewhat from that of J. Bruhl (1995) . With one minor exception the arrangement of the family here follows that of Goetghebeur.

The family is characterized by the occurrence of a number of unusual cytological features including: (1) chromosomes with diffuse centromeres , (2) post-reductional meiosis, and (3) pollen grains formed from tetrads in which 3 of the 4 microspores fail to develop. The first two features are found in at least some Juncaceae and are unique to the two families. Juncaceae also have pollen in tetrads, but in that family all four microspores produce pollen grains. Some species in some genera of Cyperaceae (particularly Eleocharis) possess chromosomes with localized centromeres (S. S. Bir et al. 1993) . The wide range of chromosome numbers found in Cyperaceae is largely because of agmatoploidy; polyploidy has been hypothesized for some genera, especially Eleocharis, although polyploidy has not been demonstrated unequivocally.

Because of morphologic similarities in vegetative and inflorescence characters, the family has commonly been associated with Poaceae. Cytological features discussed above clearly indicate that to be a superficial similarity . Data from rbcL studies also support the view that Cyperaceae and Poaceae are not closely related (M. R. Duvall et al. 1993b; G. M. Plunkett et al. 1995) ; they do support the concept of close relationship between Cyperaceae and Juncaceae.

For most families of flowering plants the phenological data given are flowering times. Because most Cyperaceae cannot be reliably identified when in flower, in this volume fruiting time is given for all species by season , sometimes qualified by early, mid, or late, or by months. The fruiting time has been interpreted broadly to include the period when the fruit is more or less fully formed but not yet ripe . The fruiting period provided covers the entire range of the taxon . Quite a difference between fruiting periods in different parts of the range of the species may well occur, especially for widespread species and species with extensive elevation range.

For a recent, comprehensive review of the economic importance of Cyperaceae, see D. A. Simpson and C. A. Inglis (2001) .[1]

Genus Cyperus

Herbs, perennial or less often annual , cespitose or not, rhizomatous , stoloniferous , rarely tuberous . Culms solitary or not, trigonous or round, glabrous or scabridulous with extrorse or antrorse (rarely retrorse ) prickles. Leaves usually basal; ligules absent; blades keeled abaxially, flat, V-, or inversely W-shaped in cross section . Inflorescences terminal , rarely pseudolateral, 1st order subumbellate to capitate, 2d order with spicate or digitately arranged spikelets , rarely a solitary spikelet; spikelets 1-150; 1st order rays unequal (rarely equal) in length , produced singly from the axils of inflorescence bracts ; involucral bracts 1-22, spirally arranged at culm apex, spreading to erect , leaflike. Spikelets: scales to 76, distichous, each subtending flower, cylindric to compressed , borne spicately or digitately at ends of rays (occasionally proliferous) . Flowers bisexual [rarely unisexual ], in axils of distichous floral scales, bases often decurrent onto rachilla as ± hyaline wings; perianth absent; stamens 1-3; styles linear , 2-3-fid, base deciduous or persistent ; stigmas 2-3. Achenes biconvex , flattened, or trigonous.

Species ca. 600: pantemperate and tropical .[2]

Physical Description

Habitat

Disturbed , muddy soils, shallow waters; 0-1000 m [3].

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 1,684 meters (0 to 5,525 feet).[4]

Biology

Reproduction

Duration: Annual

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms

1. Cyperus lateriflorus Torrey

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Place of publication : Cent. pl. II:6. 1756 (Amoen. acad. 4:302. 1759)

Name verified on 19-Jan-2001 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 25-Mar-2003

Similar Species

Members of the genus Cyperus

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 1516 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

C. aberdarensis · C. abyssinicus · C. acicularis · C. actinostachys · C. acuminatus (Short-Point Flatsedge) · C. acuminatus var. cyrtolepis · C. acutangulus · C. acuticarinatus · C. acutiusculus · C. acutus · C. adami · C. adansonii · C. adenophorus · C. adoensis · C. aegyptiacus · C. aequalis · C. aethiops · C. affinis · C. afroalpinus · C. afrodunensis · C. afroechinatus · C. afromontanus · C. afropumilus · C. afrovaricus · C. afzelii · C. aggregatus (Inflated Scale Flatsedge) · C. aggregatus var. gigas · C. agregatus · C. agrestis · C. ajax · C. alatus · C. alba-purpureus · C. albiceps · C. albidus · C. albiflorus · C. albo-marginatus · C. albo-sanguineus · C. albogracilis · C. albomarginatus · C. albopilosus · C. albopurpureus · C. albostriatus (Dwarf Umbrella Grass) · C. albostriatus 'Nanus' · C. albostriatus 'Variegatus' · C. albus · C. almensis · C. alopecuroides (Foxtail Flatsedge) · C. alpestris · C. alpinus · C. alterniflorus · C. alternifolia (Umbrella Plant) · C. alternifolius · C. alternifolius 'Compactus' · C. alternifolius flabelliformis · C. alternifolius subsp. flabelliformis · C. alternifolius var. Gracilis (Dwarf Umbrella Plant) · C. alternifolius 'Variegatus' · C. altochrysocephalus · C. altomicroglumis · C. altsonii · C. alulatus · C. amabilis (Foothill Flatsedge) · C. amauropus · C. ambiguus · C. amblyleptos · C. ambongensis · C. amentaceus · C. americanus · C. amnicola · C. amomodorus · C. amplissimus · C. amplus · C. amuricus (Asian Flatsedge) · C. amuricus var. pterygorrachis · C. anceps · C. andersonianus · C. anderssonii · C. andinus · C. andongensis · C. andreanus · C. andreanus var. capitinduensis · C. andrewsii · C. angolensis · C. angulatus · C. angustatus · C. angustatus var. angustatus · C. angustifolius · C. anisostachyos · C. ankaizinensis · C. ankaratrensis · C. annuus · C. antiquorum · C. aphyllus · C. apiculatus · C. appendiculatus · C. apricus · C. aquatilis · C. arenarius · C. argenteus · C. argyraeus

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Further Reading

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• Annali di storia naturale. Bologna. url p. 58.
• Atti della Riunione, &c. I-VIII & XI. [11 Vol. in 10]. Pisa, &c, 1840-75. ITA url p. 944.
• Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2. (L Guianas ed2)
• Botanisches Zentralblatt; referierendes Organ für das Gesamtgebiet der Botanik. Jena [etc.]G. Fischer [etc.] GER url p. 174.
• Boulos, L. 1995. Flora of Egypt checklist. (L Egypt)
• Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45. (L Peru)
• Bulletin General et Universel des Annonces et de Nouvelles Scientifiques. Paris. url p. 387.
• Bulletin de l'Acadmie internationale de gographie botanique. Le Mans: Impr. Edmond Monnoyer, 1899-1910. FRE url p. 59.
• Bulletin de la Société linnéenne de Normandie. Lons-le-Saunier [etc.]The Society. FRE url p. 65, p. 84.
• Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History). London: The Museum, 1951-1992. ENG url p. 398.
• Bullettino. Florence. ITA url p. 72, p. 73, p. 74.
• Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959–. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae. (F China)
• Compendium florae Germaniae. scripserunt Math. Jos. Bluff et Carol. Ant. Fingerhuth. Norimbergae: J.L. Schrag, 1836-1837. LAT url p. 79.
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• Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980–. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon. (F Ceylon)
• Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana. (F Mesoamer)
• FWS/0BS. [Washington]Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior. ENG url p. 52, p. 53, p. 54.
• Flora Indica, or, Descriptions of Indian plants / by the late William Roxburgh. Serampore: Printed for W. Thacker, 1832. ENG url p. 195.
• Flora italiana; ossia, Descrizione delle piante che crescono spontanee o vegetano come tali in Italia e nelle isole ad essa aggaicenti; disposta secondo il metodo naturale. Firenze, Tip. Le Monnier, 1848-1896. ITA url p. 30.
• Flora padovana; ossia, Prospetto floristico e fitogeografico delle piante vascolari indigene inselvatichite o largamente coltivate crescenti nella provincia di Padova; con notizie storico-bibliografiche sulle fonti d Padova, Prem. Soc. coop. tip., 1909-1914. ITA url p. 175.
• Flora piacentina; ossia, Enumerazione sistematica delle piante della provincia di Piacenza, coll'indicazione delle loro stazioni, dei caratteri principali di ciascuna famiglia, dei nomi italiani, di quelli del dialetto Piacenza, Tip. F. Solari, 1877. ITA url p. 302.
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Notes

Contributors

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• "Cyperus". in Flora of North America Vol. 23 Page 143, 156, 157. Published by Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 13, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 27 providers.
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 27, 2008)
• World Checklist of Selected Plant Families

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 13, 2007:

• Australian National Herbarium
• , Australian National Herbarium
• Berkeley Natural History Museums, University and Jepson Herbaria DiGIR provider
• Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Bishop Museum Natural History Specimen Data
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Virtual Herbarium Darwin Core format
• GBIF-Spain, Dirección General de Investigación, Desarrollo Tecnológico e Innovación de la Junta de Extremadura(DGIDTI): HSS
• GBIF-Spain, Herbario de la Universidad de Sevilla, SEV
• GBIF-Spain, Real Jardin Botanico
• , Vascular Plant Herbarium
• GBIF-Spain, Universidad de Oviedo. Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas: FCO
• Herbarium of the University of Aarhus, The AAU Herbarium Database
• Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
• National Herbarium of New South Wales, NSW herbarium collection
• National Herbarium of New South Wales, Plants of Papua New Guinea
• National Institute of Genetics, ROIS, Herbarium Specimens of Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo Pref., Japan
• School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Arizona State University Vascular Plant Herbarium
• School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, The Deaver Herbarium, Northern Arizona University
• Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility, Magnoliophyta
• The Swedish Museum of Natural History
• , Lund Botanical Museum
• USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database
• University of Alabama Biodiversity and Systematics, Herbarium
• University of Washington Burke Museum, Vascular Plant Collection - University of Washington Herbarium

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2660434
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Kew-236342
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13752920
• Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:304311-1
• GRIN Nomen Number: 402807
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 39915
• MoBot NameID: 9901039
• Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PMCYP060Q0
• U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: CYDI4
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 33909

Footnotes

1. Peter W. Ball, A. A. Reznicek, David F. Murray "Cyperaceae". in Flora of North America Vol. 23 Page 3, 4, 192, 243, 252. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
2. Gordon C. Tucker, Brian G. Marcks & J. Richard Carter "Cyperus". in Flora of North America Vol. 23 Page 7, 141, 154, 162, 163, 164, 168, 170, 184,. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
3. "Cyperus". in Flora of North America Vol. 23 Page 143, 156, 157. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
4. Mean = 247.450 meters (811.844 feet), Standard Deviation = 299.630 based on 453 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

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