Cyperus squarrosus

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Cyperus squarrosus

Description

Small annual with fibrous roots, when bruised or dry smelling of fenugreek. Leaves few, weak, canaliculate, gradually acuminate, nearly smooth, 1-2 mm wide; Inflorescence simple, often reduced to a single hemispherical head, or with 1-3 rays more or less developed. Stamen 1;

Distribution

Argentina present, Asia-Tropical, Australasia, Chile present, Javan mountains present, Lesser Sunda Is present, Madura present, S. Africa present, S. Canada present, S. China present, Sumba present, Timor present, Tropical Africa present, United States present, tropical America present, tropical Asia present, western hemisphere present
Tropical Africa, extending to S. Africa; tropical Asia, to S. China; Australia; in the western hemisphere from S. Canada through the United States and tropical America to Argentina and Chile; in Malesia: Madura, Lesser Sunda Is. (Sumba, Timor).
KOORDER'S statement that it occurs in the Javan mountains has never been verified.

Notes

The sheet in the Linnean herbarium marked “squarrosus” in LINNÉ’s handwriting contains two species, one of them represented by a tuft of complete plants, the other by a single inflorescence only. The description in Cent. Pl. 2 was undoubtedly drawn up from the complete specimens, which belong to the species described above. For this species CLARKE, KÜKENTHAL, and others wrongly accepted ROTTBOELL’S younger synonym C. aristatus. The correct name for the fragment (C. squarrosus sensu CLARKE, KÜK.) is apparently C. maderaspatanus WILLD. (not in Malesia). See also .
On account of the spikelets allegedly falling off as a whole, KÜKENTHAL referred this species to subg. Mariscus. However, the caducity of the rachilla varies considerably. In the Timor specimens the glumes are more readily caducous than the rachilla. See also .

Citation

KERN 1968 – In: Back. & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 3: 473
Clarke 1884 – In: J. Linn. Soc. Bot.: 91
Benth. 1878 – In: Fl. Austr.: 268
BACK. 1949 – In: Bekn. Fl. Java, (em. ed.): fam. 246, p. 45
BOECK. 1868 – In: Linnaea: 500
KÜK. 1936: p. 502. – In: Pfl. R.: f. 55 F-J.
ROTTB. 1893 – In: Fl. Br. Ind.: 606
Miq. 1855 – In: Fl. Ind. Bat.: 262
BACK. 1928: Onkr. Suiker: 131: t. 125
Koord. 1911 – In: Exk. Fl. Java: 188, 192
ROTTB. 1773: Descr. & Ic: 23: t. 6 f. 1
VALCK. SUR. 1898: Gesl. Cyp. Ma1. Arch: 81: t. 4 f. 5