TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual or perennial herb, often rhizomed, often of wet open places, generally monoecious; roots fibrous, hairy
Stem generally 3-sided
Leaves often 3-ranked; sheath generally closed; ligule generally 0; blade (0) various, parallel-veined
Inflorescence: spikelets variously clustered; flowers generally sessile in axil of flower bract
Flower small, generally wind-pollinated; perianth 0 or bristle-like; stamens generally 3, anthers attached at base, 4-chambered; ovary superior, 1-chambered, 1-ovuled, style 23-branched
Fruit: achene, generally 3-sided
Genera in family: ± 110 genera, 3600 species: worldwide, especially temp
Reference: [Tucker 1987 J Arnold Arbor 68:361445]
Difficult: taxa differ in technical characters of inflorescence and fruit.
Perennial, cespitose or from rhizomes, generally monoecious
Stem generally sharply 3-angled, generally solid
Leaves 3-ranked, generally glabrous except generally scabrous on midrib, margin; sheath closed, back (blade side of stem) green, ribbed, front generally thin, translucent, forming generally U-shaped mouth at top
Inflorescence: spikelets generally severalmany, arrayed in raceme, panicle, or head-like cluster, each 1many-flowered, generally subtended by a spikelet bract
Flowers unisexual, each subtended by 1 flower bract; perianth 0
Staminate flower: stamens generally 3
Pistillate flower enclosed by perigynium (sac-like bract); perigynium body 23-sided or round, wall generally delicate; perigynium beak tip open, often notched; style 1, generally deciduous, stigmas 24, exserted
Fruit 24-sided
Etymology: (Latin: cutter, from sharp leaf and stem edges)
Reference: [Standley 1985 Syst Bot Monogr 7:1106]
Fully mature perigynia needed for identification, so are described under "FR" (long-persistent perigynia are often atypical); perigynium "front" faces spikelet axis; "fruit" refers to achene body (excluding beak). "Shredding" lower leaf sheath fronts become a network or fringe of veins; some others shred longitudinally only. Difficult because of many species and minute key characters; longer key statements and descriptions are designed to enhance both ease and probability of correct identification. Group descriptions are assumed in specific descriptions
Horticultural information: Many species especially those with rhizomes are INVASIVE. This is one of the most effective genera for knitting moist or wet soil.
Native |
(Groups 3,5) Cespitose
Stem 2580 cm, nodding
Leaf ± glabrous; blade 25 mm wide; sheath ± hairy, at least near mouth, front often red or red-dotted
Inflorescence: lateral spikelets nodding, 1550 mm, linear; lowest spikelet bract blade < inflorescence, sheath 23 cm, mouth minutely hairy; pistillate flower bract white or pale gold, red-dotted or not, ciliate, awned or not
Fruit: perigynium 35 mm, 1.21.7 mm wide, often minutely appressed-hairy near beak, green to gold, red-dotted or not, beak < 0.5 mm, generally ciliate; fruit 1.72.5 mm, 1.21.5 mm wide
Ecology: Moist areas, often serpentine
Elevation: 1501600 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Klamath Ranges, n High Sierra Nevada (Butte, El Dorado cos.), Central Coast
Distribution outside California: s Oregon
Hybridizes with C. gynodynama.
Horticultural information: IRR: 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17 &SHD: 7, 8, 9, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.