Common name: Bearded Flat-sedge
Cyperus squarrosus L. APNI* Synonyms: Cyperus aristatus Rottb. APNI*
Cyperus uncinatus R.Br. APNI*
Description: Dwarf tufted annual smelling strongly of fenugreek when dried. Culms triquetrous, smooth, 2–15 cm high, to 1.5 mm diam.
Leaves not septate-nodulose, as long as culms or shorter, to 2 mm wide. Inflorescence simple with 1–5 branches to 4 cm long, or head-like; spikes or subdigitate clusters oblong-ovoid to globose, to 20 mm diam.; involucral bracts leaf-like, 1 or 2 exceeding inflorescence. Spikelets flattened, numerous per cluster, 4–14 mm long, 2–4 mm wide in side view, 4–30-flowered; rachilla not winged; spikelet mostly falling as unit. Glumes acuminate, long-mucronate, with sides 2–4-nerved, hyaline, 1–2.5 mm long (excluding mucro to 1 mm long), yellow-brown to red-brown. Stamen 1. Style 3-fid.
Nut trigonous, narrow-obovoid to linear, third to half as long as body of glume, 0.6–1 mm long, 0.2–0.5 mm diam., red-brown to blackish.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in ephemerally wet situations, commonly on sand or alluvium; scattered, mainly on plains, extending east to area south of Warwick, to Graman and Narrabri, and south to Kinchega National Park.
NSW subdivisions: NC, NT, NWS, NWP, SWP, NFWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. W.A. S.A. N.T.
Text by K. L. Wilson (1993); edited KL Wilson (Aug 2009)
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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