Cyperus owanii

Illustrator: Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. Culms roundly trigonous, 80–120 cm × 3–6 mm, glabrous. Leaves 5–12, V-shaped, 30–75 cm × 8–14 mm, septate, leathery, margins harshly scabrid. Inflorescences: spikes 1–4 per ray, loosely ovoid to broadly ellipsoid, 12–20 × 8–12 mm; rays 6–9, 3–10(–12) cm; 2d order rays 1–4, 1–2 cm; rachis 4–12 mm; bracts 5–10, horizontal to ascending at 30°, 15–40 cm × 4–8(–11) mm; rachilla deciduous, wings persistent, hyaline, fragile, 0.3 mm wide, covering less than 1/2 of achene. Spikelets 40–80, narrowly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, roughly quadrangular to weakly flattened, 5–8 × 1.2–1.5 mm; distal spikelet spreading or ascending; floral scales (1–)2(–3), ascending, brick red, medially greenish, laterally 3–4-ribbed, medially 1–3-ribbed, green, ovate, 2.2–3.5 × 1.5–1.8 mm, apex subacute. Flowers: anthers (0.7–)1–1.5 mm, filaments 4–4.7 mm; styles 0.5–0.9 mm; stigmas 2–3 mm. Achenes brown, ellipsoid to oblong-fusiform, 1.7–1.8 × 0.7 mm, base cuneate, apex subacute and apiculate, surfaces finely puncticulate to glabrous.

Phenology: Fruiting spring–fall.
Habitat: Disturbed, damp thickets, open woods
Elevation: 0–200 m

Distribution

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Calif., s Africa.

Discussion

Cyperus owanii is easily distinguished from other sedges in California by the large size, reddish spikelets, and secondary rays. It was first collected in California in 1938.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.