''Cyperus lupulinus'', the Great Plains flatsedge, is a plant species native to North America. It is widespread across southeastern

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and the central and northeastern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

as far west as

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and

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

, with more isolated populations reported in

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

(

Asotin County Asotin County () is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,285. The county seat is at Asotin, and its largest city is Clarkston. The county was created out of Garfield County in 1883 and derive ...

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(

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) and

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(

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). It grows in open, sun-lit locations such as fields, prairies, roadsides, farms, etc.Flora of North America, v 23 p 176. ''Cyperus lupulinus''
/ref>

Description

''Cyperus lupulinus''is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herb up to 50 cm tall, spreading by means of underground

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

s. Culms are triangular in cross-section. Spikes are densely clustered into a more or less spherical clump.

Achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not ope ...

s are dark brown, almost black, egg-shaped, about 2 mm across.Wunderlin, R. P. 1998. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida i–x, 1–806. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.

Taxonomy

Two

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

are accepted: *''Cyperus lupulinus'' subsp. ''lupulinus'' - Floral scales greater than 2.5 mm, not clasping achenes;

spikelet A spikelet, in botany, describes the typical arrangement of the flowers of grasses, sedges and some other Monocots. Each spikelet has one or more florets. The spikelets are further grouped into panicles or spikes. The part of the spikelet that ...

s with 5-22 scales each *''Cyperus lupulinus'' subsp. ''macilentus'' (Fernald) Marcks - Floral scales less than 2.5 mm, clasping achenes; spikelets with 3-7 scales each

References

lupulinus Plants described in 1807 Flora of Canada Flora of the United States {{Cyperus-stub

Description

Taxonomy

See also

References