Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Cyperus bipartitus
shining cyperus, shining flatsedge
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east across most of the U.S. to eastern Canada and the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Streambanks and other wet places in the valleys and lowlands; tolerant of alkali.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Description:
General:

Tufted annual, the triangular, solid, slender stems 0.5-2 dm. tall.

Leaves:

Leaves few, grass-like, all attached near the base, slender and elongate, 0.5-2 mm. wide, the sheaths closed.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of spikelets in 1-several capitate clusters, the primary cluster sessile, the others on slender rays up to 3 cm. long in the axils of sheathless, leafy, unequal involucral bracts, at least one surpassing the inflorescence; spikelets 3-15 mm. long; scales of the spikelets in 2 vertical rows, 2-2.5 mm. long, blunt, with a pale mid-rib; perianth none; stamens usually 2; style deeply bifid.

Fruits:

Achenes lenticular, 1.0-1.3 mm. long, olivaceous to blackish.

Accepted Name:
Cyperus bipartitus Torr.
Publication: Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York. 3: 257. 1836. 1836.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Cyperus niger Ruiz & Pav. var. rivularis (Kunth) V.E. Grant
Cyperus rivularis Kunth [HC]
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Cyperus bipartitus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Cyperus bipartitus checklist entry

OregonFlora: Cyperus bipartitus information

E-Flora BC: Cyperus bipartitus atlas page

CalPhotos: Cyperus bipartitus photos

8 photographs:
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