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Cyperus retrorsus — pine barren flatsedge

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Facts

Pine barren flatsedge is very rare in New England, which represents the northern limit of its mainly southeastern range. There are a few populations in Martha's Vineyard on sandy soils and trail edges. It loosely resembles Cyperus echinatus because of its rounded inflorescences, but it is a small plant with more cylindrical inflorescences. Look for its fruits between June and August.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), woodlands

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
Massachusetts
Stem shape in cross-section
the stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
Leaf blade width
1.5–5 mm
Leaf blade cross-section
the leaf blade is flat or rolled in at the edges
Inflorescence position
the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
Inflorescence branching
  • the inflorescence is branched
  • the inflorescence is on one or more stems with no branches
Fruit type (general)
the fruit is like a seed, and surrounded by scales
Fruit length
1.2–1.7 mm
Leaf position on plant
the attachment points of all the leaves are at or near the base of the plant
Perianth composition
there is no perianth on the plant
Fruit cross-section
the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
Show all characteristics
  • Flowers

    Anther length
    0.3–0.5 mm
    Floral bristle color
    NA
    Floral bristle number
    0
    Floral bristle relative length
    NA
    Floral bristles
    NA
    Floral scale hairs
    there are no hairs on the floral scales
    Floral scale length
    1.8–2.5 mm
    Floral scale nerves
    • 1
    • 2-5
    Floral scale shape
    • the floral scales are oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
    • the floral scales are ovate (roughly egg-shaped)
    Floral scale translucent
    the floral scales are opaque
    Flower number per cluster
    more than 20
    Inflorescence bract angle
    the bracts are vertical or angled only slightly outwards
    Inflorescence bract number
    there are two to five bracts per inflorescence
    Inflorescence bract position (Sparganium)
    NA
    Inflorescence bracts
    there are at least two bracts, and they are either flat or folded or rolled in at the edges
    Inflorescence branching
    • the inflorescence is branched
    • the inflorescence is on one or more stems with no branches
    Inflorescence crowding
    the inflorescence is crowded together in one tight cluster
    Inflorescence position
    the inflorescence is at the tip of the plant
    Inflorescence shape
    the aggregations within the inflorescence are at least somewhat flattened in cross-section
    Inflorescence type
    • there are two or more flowers, spikes or flower clusters on a branched inflorescence
    • there is one spike or raceme at the tip of the stem
    Perianth composition
    there is no perianth on the plant
    Stamen number
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    Stigma number
    3
    Style division
    the top two thirds of the style is divided
    floral bristle barbs
    NA
    plantlets budding at flower bases
    no
  • Fruits or seeds

    Achene tubercle relative width
    NA
    Achene tubercle width
    0 mm
    Capsule relative length
    NA
    Fruit cross-section
    the fruit is triangular to terete (circular) in cross-section
    Fruit length
    1.2–1.7 mm
    Fruit type (general)
    the fruit is like a seed, and surrounded by scales
    Fruit type (specific)
    the fruit is an achene (dry, seed-like fruit) without a tubercle (a swelling or projection, usually of a different color or texture)
    Locules in capsule
    NA
    Seed length
    0 mm
    Seed tail relative length
    0 mm
    Seed tails
    NA
    Tubercle height
    0 mm
  • Growth form

    Lifespan
    the plant lives more than two years
    Underground organs
    the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
  • Leaves

    Auricle length
    0 mm
    Auricle texture
    NA
    Auricles
    there are no auricles on the leaf sheath
    Leaf blade cross-section
    the leaf blade is flat or rolled in at the edges
    Leaf blade length
    100–550 mm
    Leaf blade width
    1.5–5 mm
    Leaf form
    all the leaves hold their form out of water
    Leaf position on plant
    the attachment points of all the leaves are at or near the base of the plant
    Leaf septa
    the leaf blades do not have transverse septa
    Leaf sheath hairs
    the leaf sheathes are without hairs
    Pedicel length (Typha)
    0 mm
    Stem leaf blade ligules
    there are no ligules at the leaf blade bases
    Stem leaf blades
    there are fully-developed leaves with leaf blades on the main stem
    Width of seed-producing inflorescence
    4–16 mm
  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    Massachusetts
    Specific habitat
    • man-made or disturbed habitats
    • woodlands
  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Plant height
    20–85 cm
    Stem shape in cross-section
    the stem is roughly triangular in cross-section
    Stem texture near tip
    the stem feels smooth near the tip

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
absent
Maine
absent
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
absent
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
absent

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
extremely rare (uncertain) (S-rank: S1?)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

19.  Cyperus retrorsus Chapman NC

pine barren flatsedge. Cyperus cylindricus (Ell.) Britt.; Mariscus cylindricus Ell.; M. retrorsus (Chapman) C.B. Clarke • MA; Marthas Vineyard. Sandy soil of woodlands, clearings, and 
trail edges.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Cyperus echinatus:
spikelets mostly 2.2-4 mm long, with floral scales 3.5-4.5 mm long, and achenes 1.5-2.3 mm long (vs. C. retrorsus, with spikelets mostly 2.2-4 mm long, with floral scales 1.8-2.5 mm long, and achenes 1.2-1.7 mm long).

Synonyms

  • Cyperus cylindricus (Ell.) Britt.
  • Mariscus cylindricus Ell.
  • Mariscus retrorsus (Chapman) C.B. Clarke

Family

Cyperaceae

Genus

Cyperus