Cyperus pumilus

Linnaeus

Cent. Pl. II, 6. 1756.

IntroducedIllustrated
Synonyms: Cyperus leucolepis J. Carey ex C. B. Clarke Juncellus leucolepis (J. Carey ex C. B. Clarke) C. B. Clarke Pycreus pumilus (Linnaeus) Domin
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Treatment on page 163. Mentioned on page 142, 162.

Herbs, annual, cespitose. Culms trigonous, 1–35 cm × 0.5–1 mm, glabrous. Leaves flat, 5–20 cm × 1–2 mm. Inflorescences: heads ± digitate, 8–26 mm diam.; rays 1–6, 0.5–5 cm; bracts 3–4, ± horizontal, flat, 3–18 cm × 1–2 mm. Spikelets 6–25, ovoid to linear-lanceoloid, compressed, 4–15 × 1–2 mm; floral scales 8–28(–40), clear, laterally ribless, ovate, 1.4–1.6 × 0.8 mm, apex awned, awn excurved, 0.3–0.5 mm. Flowers: stamens 1–2; anthers 0.2 mm; styles 0.5 mm; stigmas 0.3 mm. Achenes dark brown to black, sessile, obovoid, 0.6 × 0.4 mm, apex obtuse, apiculate, surfaces minutely punctate.


Phenology: Fruiting spring–summer.
Habitat: Disturbed, sandy soils
Elevation: 0–50 m

Distribution

V23 260-distribution-map.jpg

Introduced; Fla., West Indies (introduced), Asia, Africa (including Madagascar), Indian Ocean Islands, Pacific Islands, Australia.

Discussion

Cyperus pumilus is distinctive because it is our only distigmatic Cyperus with awned floral scales.

Cyperus hyalinus Vahl, a southeastern Asian and Australian species, has recently been collected in Miami-Dade County, Florida (Mears s.n., EIU, VSC). This is an aberrant species sometimes placed in the monotypic genus Queenslandiella as Q. hyalina (Vahl) F. Ballard; it differs from C. pumilus in having deciduous rachillae as well as deciduous floral scales.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Cyperus pumilus"
Gordon C. Tucker* +, Brian G. Marcks* +  and J. Richard Carter * +
Linnaeus +
Undefined subg. Pycreus +
Fla. +, West Indies (introduced) +, Asia +, Africa (including Madagascar) +, Indian Ocean Islands +, Pacific Islands +  and Australia. +
0–50 m +
Disturbed, sandy soils +
Fruiting spring–summer. +
Cent. Pl. II, +
Introduced +  and Illustrated +
Cyperus leucolepis +, Juncellus leucolepis +  and Pycreus pumilus +
Cyperus pumilus +
Cyperus subg. Pycreus +
species +