Fimbristylis castanea

(Michaux) Vahl

Enum. Pl. 2: 294. 1805.

Illustrated
Basionym: Scirpus castaneus Michaux Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 31. 1803
Synonyms: Fimbristylis cylindrica Vahl Fimbristylis spadicea var. castanea (Michaux) A. Gray
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Mentioned on page 129.
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Plants perennial, densely cespitose, 80–150 (–200) cm, bases deep-set, stout; rhizomes absent. Leaves erect or ascending, 1/2–2/3 plant height, bases of leaves hard, leathery, usually dark-brown or castaneous; sheaths distally bristlyciliate, backs chestnut-brown, glabrous; ligule absent; blades narrowly linear, 1–2 (–3) mm wide or thick, mostly strongly involute or adaxially deeply sulcate, margins scabridulous, surfaces glabrous. Inflorescences: anthelae mostly compound, ascending-branched, longer than broad; scapes wandlike, narrowly linear, 1.5–2 (–3) mm thick, distally round or slightly compressed; proximalmost leafy involucral-bract mostly shorter than anthela or equaling it, rarely slightly longer. Spikelets chestnut-brown to dull brown, ellipsoid, ovoid, or cylindric, 5–20 mm; fertile scales broadly ovate to nearly orbiculate, 3.5–4.5 mm, apex rounded, sometimes ciliolate, midrib reaching tip or excurrent as short mucro. Flowers: stamens 2–3; styles 2-fid, flat, fimbriate. Achenes lustrous brown, lenticular-obovoid or obpyriform, 1.5–2 mm, appearing striate, with many fine, vertical lines of isodiametric pits. 2n = 20.


Phenology: Fruiting summer–fall, all year southward.
Habitat: Salt marsh and brackish marsh inland
Elevation: 0–50 m

Distribution

V23 199-distribution-map.jpg

Ala., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., La., Md., Miss., N.J., N.Y., N.C., S.C., Tex., Va., Mexico, West Indies (Antilles), Central America

Discussion

Fimbristylis castanea, commonly placed in synonymy of F. spadicea (Linnaeus) Vahl, a widespread salt marsh perennial of tropical America, is distinguishable by its relatively shorter spikelets, usually lower habit, and by its proportionately shorter involucral bracts. Fimbristylis spadicea is hardy with us only as a greenhouse plant.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"shortened" is not a number."thick" is not a number.

... more about "Fimbristylis castanea"
reticulate-honeycombed +
obpyriform;lenticular-obovoid +
ascending-branched +  and compound +
longer than broad +
rounded +
Robert Kral +
(Michaux) Vahl +
chestnut-brown +
castaneous +  and dark-brown +
deciduous +
enlarged +
leathery +
Scirpus castaneus +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
keeled +, terete +, folded +  and flat +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (?) +
glumaceous +  and foliaceous +
2-ranked +  and arranged +
ascending +  and appressed +
parallel +  and divergent +
terete +, rolled +  and plicate +
3-5-angled +, compressed +  and terete +
Ala. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Md. +, Miss. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Tex. +, Va. +, Mexico +, West Indies (Antilles) +  and Central America +
0–50 m +
hypogynous +  and subtending +
biconvex +  and trigonous +
Salt marsh and brackish marsh inland +
interrupted +  and continuous +
compound +  and simple +
erect +  and spreading +
polystichous +  and distichous +
ascending;erect +
scabridulous +
with (1-)3-6(-30) bristles and/or scales +
Fruiting summer–fall, all year southward. +
2-3(-4)-carpellate +
3 (?) +  and 1 (?) +
adventitious +
basal +  and proximal +
broadly ovate;nearly orbiculate +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br />) +
compressed +, round +  and wand-like +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (?) +
cylindric +
Illustrated +
chestnut-brown +  and dull brown +
single +, 1 +  and 80 +
cylindric;ovoid;cylindric;ovoid;ellipsoid +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
2 +  and 3 +
septate +, hollow +  and solid +
compressed +, terete +  and trigonous +
papillate +
fimbriate +  and 2-fid +
Fimbristylis cylindrica +  and Fimbristylis spadicea var. castanea +
Fimbristylis castanea +
Fimbristylis +
species +
not +  and rhizomatous +
150 cm1,500 mm <br />1.5 m <br /> (200 cm2,000 mm <br />2 m <br />) +
plant +  and cespitose +