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.
Annual or perennial herb
Stem generally round, ridged and grooved, generally solid
Leaves basal, 1(4); base sheathing; blade generally 0
Inflorescence: spikelet solitary, terminal, erect; spikelet bract 0; flower bracts generally spiraled
Flowers bisexual; perianth bristles 06, persistent, barbs generally recurved; stamens (1)3; style 23-branched, base bulb-like, persistent
Fruit 23-sided or round; top tubercled
Species in genus: ± 250 species: worldwide
Etymology: (Greek: marsh grace)
St shape best seen in fresh material (or just below spikelet); drying exaggerates ridges and grooves.
Native |
Perennial 510 dm, from caudex
Stem 35 mm wide, sharply 4-sided, spongy, flattened in pressing
Leaf: tip rarely with short, blade-like structure
Inflorescence: spikelet 1535 mm, ± as wide as stem, oblong, generally 10many-flowered; flower bract widely ovate, straw-colored, tip blunt
Flower: style 3-branched
Fruit: perianth bristles generally < fruit, barbs minute; body 2.74.2 mm, obovate, dark brown, shiny, ± netted; tubercle ± deltate, base narrowed
Ecology: Marshes and lake, pond margins
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Great Central Valley (Butte, Merced cos.)
Distribution outside California: e N.America
Formerly thought alien in CA.