Home/Species/ Schweinitz's Flatsedge

Cyperus schweinitzii

Torr.

Schweinitz's Flatsedge

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.155329

Element CodePMCYP06360

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderCyperales

FamilyCyperaceae

GenusCyperus

Other Common Names

Sand Flatsedge (EN) Sand Nut-grass (EN) Schweinitz's flatsedge (EN) Souchet de Schweinitz (FR)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Conservation Status

Review Date1984-04-24

Change Date1984-04-24

Range Extent Comments

Great Lakes, Midwest and Great Plains, with many outliers, from Queb. to Alb., south from WV to NM. Peripheral.

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Schweinitz' Flatsedge is a grass-like perennial with stems that are 10-40 cm high, arising from short, irregularly swollen rhizomes. The leaves are 1-4 mm wide and located mostly near the base of the plant. The inflorescence is subtended by 3-6 long, leaf-like bracts, some of which are wider than the leaves. The infloresence is made up of ascending clusters of flattened spikelets that are 5-25 mm long and borne on stalks that are very short to long. The flowers are crowded opposite each other and consist only of a small, pointed scale, which is ca. 3-4 mm long and subtends 3 stamens and an ovary. The seed is triangular in cross-section.

Diagnostic Characteristics

This is our only perennial CYPERUS and is the only one occurring in upland habitat.

Other Nations (2)

United StatesN5

Province	Rank	Native
Utah	S1	Yes
Michigan	SNR	Yes
Arizona	S1	Yes
Missouri	S3	Yes
Montana	S2	Yes
Wyoming	S2	Yes
Oklahoma	SNR	Yes
New York	S3	Yes
New Mexico	SNR	Yes
Colorado	S3	Yes
Wisconsin	SNR	Yes
Arkansas	SNR	Yes
Illinois	S3	Yes
Texas	SNR	Yes
South Dakota	SNR	Yes
Indiana	SNR	Yes
New Jersey	S1	Yes
Massachusetts	SNR	Yes
Pennsylvania	S2	Yes
Ohio	S2	Yes
Kentucky	SU	Yes
Washington	SNR	Yes
Kansas	S3	Yes
Iowa	S4	Yes
Idaho	SNR	Yes
North Dakota	SNR	Yes
Minnesota	SNR	Yes
Nebraska	SNR	Yes

CanadaN3

Province	Rank	Native
Saskatchewan	S3	Yes
Ontario	S3	Yes
Quebec	S1	Yes
Manitoba	S2	Yes
Alberta	S3	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (2)

New Mexico (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
El Invierno	Santa Fe National Forest	29,927
Lemitas	Santa Fe National Forest	8,129

References (3)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 23. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Cyperaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 608 pp.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
USDA, Agricultural Research Service. 1980. [Letter of December 3 to L. Dean Culwell containing the herbarium list for plant specimens on file at the Livestock and Range Research Station]. 13 pp.