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 |
(Group 9)
Leaf: blade 2.56 mm wide; sheath front ribbed at least in lower 1/2, with at least a narrow, delicate, membranous, white strip extending > 10 mm below mouth and generally a membranous, white, ± tongue-like extension above mouth; ligule generally 38 mm
Inflorescence dense above or open, 2.58 cm, whitish green to pale gold; spikelets often > 1 per lower node or branch; lowest spikelet bract often leaf-like, base around stem or not; pistillate flower bract mostly white, sometimes gold-tinged, sometimes brownish, awned, ± covering perigynium
Fruit: perigynium ascending, 2.54.5 mm, 11.9 mm wide, planoconvex, green to pale gold, ± abruptly narrowed above, flat margin including wing 0.10.4 mm wide, veins strong on back, sometimes 0 on front, beak tip cylindric and ± entire for > 0.4 mm, pale, tip to fruit top 1.33 mm; fruit 1.22 mm, 0.81.2 mm wide
Ecology: Common. Montane meadows, open forests, moist soil
Elevation: 8003300 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges, High Cascade Range, High Sierra Nevada, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges
Distribution outside California: to Washington
Like C. feta
Horticultural information: TRY.