Cyperus pilosus Vahl APNI*
Description: Rhizomatous perennial.
Culms solitary, triquetrous, winged above, smooth or scabrous, 30–100 cm high, to 6 mm diam.
Leaves not septate-nodulose, shorter than to as long as culms, 4–12 mm wide. Inflorescence compound, with 3–10 primary branches to 15 cm long, or rarely subglobose; spikes ovoid to cylindrical, 2–3 cm long, 1–2 cm diam., with densely hispid rachis; involucral bracts leaf-like, 3–5 much longer than inflorescence. Spikelets flattened, 6–25 per spike, 6–12 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide in side view, 7–40-flowered; rachilla not winged, persistent. Glumes obtuse, with sides 2- or 3-nerved, 2–2.5 mm long, c. 1.5 mm wide, straw-coloured to red-brown, with broad whitish margins above. Stamens 3. Style 3-fid.
Nut triquetrous, obovoid to ellipsoid, about two thirds as long as glume, 1–1.3 mm long, 0.5–0.8 mm diam., dark brown to black.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in swampy areas in sandy coastal heath; north from Grafton region.
NSW subdivisions: NC
Other Australian states: Qld
Text by K. L. Wilson (1993); edited KL Wilson (Aug 2009; March 2024) Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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