Cyperus ligularis

Linnaeus

Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 867. 1759.

Illustrated
Synonyms: Mariscus rufus Kunth
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Treatment on page 190. Mentioned on page 148, 188.

Herbs, perennial, solitary or cespitose, rhizomatous, coarse. Culms trigonous, (30–) 60–130 cm × 1–4 (–9) mm, densely papillose, otherwise glabrous. Leaves with cross ribs prominent, V-shaped, 30–100 cm × 5–13 (–20) mm, margins, keel incisive with brownish prickles, papillose throughout, margins and midribs harshly scabrid. Inflorescences: spikes 3–7, densely oblong-cylindric to ± globose, 10–28 (–35) × 8–12 (–15) mm; rays 5–12, 1–16 cm, densely papillose; bracts 5–12, ascending at 30–75°, flat to V-shaped, 4–50 (–90) cm × 1–15 mm; rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, (0.2–) 0.3–0.5 (–0.6) mm. Spikelets 20–80, oblongellipsoid, ± terete, slightly compressed, 3–7 × 1–2 (–2.7) mm; distal spikelets spreading or ascending; floral scales (2–) 4–7, appressed, clear to brownish, reddish streaked, medially green, 9–11-ribbed, ovate, (2–) 2.5–3.3 × 1.2–2.3 mm, apex acute, mucronate. Flowers: anthers 0.6–0.8 mm, styles 0.5–1 mm; stigmas 1–2.3 mm. Achenes brown, slightly stipitate, obovoid to broadly ellipsoid, (1.2–) 1.5–1.6 (–1.7) × 0.6–0.8 mm, apex apiculate, surfaces puncticulate.


Phenology: Fruiting throughout the year.
Habitat: Beaches, brackish marshes, mangrove swamps, disturbed soils, ditches, riverbanks, coastal croplands
Elevation: 0 m

Distribution

V23 329-distribution-map.jpg

Fla., Mexico, Central America, South America, w Africa

Discussion

The papillose culms, rays, and leaves of Cyperus ligularis distinguish it from all other North American species of Cyperus.

Reports of Cyperus ligularis from California (G. C. Tucker 1993b) were based on specimens of C. owanii.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"shortened" is not a number.

... more about "Cyperus ligularis"
0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br /> (0.17 cm1.7 mm <br />0.0017 m <br />) +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.16 cm1.6 mm <br />0.0016 m <br />) +
obovoid;broadly ellipsoid +
0.6mm;0.8mm +
0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br /> (0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br />) +
mucronate;acute +
Gordon C. Tucker* +, Brian G. Marcks* +  and J. Richard Carter * +
Linnaeus +
persistent +  and deciduous +
decurrent +
w--shaped +  and keeled +
glumaceous +  and foliaceous +
2-ranked +  and arranged +
50 cm500 mm <br />0.5 m <br /> (90 cm900 mm <br />0.9 m <br />) +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (50 cm500 mm <br />0.5 m <br />) +
flat +  and v-shaped +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
parallel +  and divergent +
terete +, rolled +  and plicate +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br />) +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
60 cm600 mm <br />0.6 m <br /> (130 cm1,300 mm <br />1.3 m <br />) +
papillose +
trigonous +
1mm;4mm +
ascending +  and spreading +
Fla. +, Mexico +, Central America +, South America +  and w Africa +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
green +, reddish streaked +, clear +  and brownish +
deciduous +  and persistent +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.33 cm3.3 mm <br />0.0033 m <br />) +
0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br /> (0.23 cm2.3 mm <br />0.0023 m <br />) +
hypogynous +  and subtending +
biconvex +  and trigonous +
Beaches, brackish marshes, mangrove swamps, disturbed soils, ditches, riverbanks, coastal croplands +
subumbellate +  and capitate +
spreading +  and erect +
papillose +
multi-ranked +, 2-ranked +, 3-ranked +  and alternate +
1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br /> (?) +  and 100 cm1,000 mm <br />1 m <br /> (?) +
v--shaped +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br />) +
with (1-)3-6(-30) bristles and/or scales +
Fruiting throughout the year. +
2-3(-4)-carpellate +
antrorse +  and extrorse +
3 (?) +  and 1 (?) +
Syst. Nat. ed. +
continuous +, articulate +, winged +  and wingless +
conspicuous +
unequal +
5 +  and 12 +
papillose +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (16 cm160 mm <br />0.16 m <br />) +
prominent +
adventitious +
basal +  and proximal +
cylindric;compressed +
cylindric +
W2 +  and Illustrated +
2.8 cm28 mm <br />0.028 m <br /> (3.5 cm35 mm <br />0.035 m <br />) +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (2.8 cm28 mm <br />0.028 m <br />) +
densely oblong-cylindric;more or less globose +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.27 cm2.7 mm <br />0.0027 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
20 +  and 80 +
compressed;terete +
septate +, hollow +  and solid +
compressed +, terete +  and trigonous +
papillate +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.23 cm2.3 mm <br />0.0023 m <br />) +
2-3-fid +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
Mariscus rufus +
Cyperus ligularis +
Cyperus subg. Cyperus +
species +
herb +, cespitose +  and solitary +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br />) +
persistent +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br />) +