Click the number at the start of a key lead to highlight both that lead and its corresponding lead. Click again to show only the two highlighted leads. Click a third time to return to the full key with the selected leads still highlighted.
Key to Eleocharis, Key B: spikerushes with culms nodose-septate (bearing complete septae, externally evident); achenes biconvex
Copy permalink to share | Check for keys that lead to this key
https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu/main.php?pg=show-key.php&keyid=39682
2 Spikelets cylindric, the width the same as the width of the culms; roots (usually) with conspicuous tubers; achenes 2.0-2.5 mm long; tubercles triangular-attenuate; [cultivated waif, GA, potentially elsewhere] | |
3 Spikelets cylindric, the width uniform from base to apex; achene bodies > 1.4 mm long, surface rugulose (or smooth to finely cancellate in E. dulcis); scales (3-) 4.5-7 mm long, leathery (besides margins), pale yellowish-brown (sometimes grayish green in E. dulcis, but often maturing stramineous); [common to intermittent, collectively widespread]. | |
4 Roots (usually) with conspicuous tubers; achenes 2.0-2.5 mm long, primarily smooth or sometimes finely cancellate (transverse cells obscure, if present), the bristles as long as or exceeding tubercle; [cultivated waif, GA, potentially elsewhere] | |
4 Roots lacking conspicuous tubers; achenes 1.4-2.3 mm long, with visible longitudinal ridges (E. interstincta) and/or transversely elongated cells (E. equisetoides, which can sometimes also be mostly smooth but has bristles shorter than achene); [widespread natives]. | |
5 Achenes 1.8-2.3 mm long; pistillate scales 5.2-7 mm long; achene faces with longitudinal rows of enlarged linear cells separated by obscure longitudinal lines; perianth bristles slender and flexuous, finely spinulose, shorter than to equaling the achene (to 2.5 mm long); culm septae widely (> 10 mm) and ± evenly spaced; [widespread in our area] | |
5 Achenes 1.4-1.8 (-2) mm long; pistillate scales (4-) 4.5-5 mm long; achene faces with 20-40 bold transverse-rugulose lines; perianth bristles stiff and stout, coarsely spinulose, exceeding the achene (to 2.9 mm long); culm septae concentrated proximally (below spikelet); [OK, TX, AL, and FL; widespread in c. and s. FL] |