Flora of the Southeastern United States

Cyperus acuminatus Torrey & W.J. Hooker ex Torrey. Common name: Pointed Flatsedge. Phenology: May-Oct. Habitat: Wet meadows or depressions, especially in glades, barrens, or woodlands over limestone; also ditches and sidewalk cracks. Distribution: Illinois west to North Dakota, south to w. Louisiana, Texas, and n. Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas); disjunct from Washington to s. California; disjunct eastward at scattered localities in Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia (Echols 2007), Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio (where probably native), and New York and New Hampshire (where probably introduced).

ID notes: The combination of pseudolateral inflorescences, spikelets in glomerulate heads, and excurved-mucronate scale apices is diagnostic. Forms of C. surinamensis with erect bracts may superficially resemble C. acuminatus, but lack excurved scale apices and usually have taller, densely antrorsely scabridulous culms.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Can, ETx1, F, FNA23, G, GrPl, GW1, Il, K1, K4, Mex, Mi, Mo1, NcTx, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, Tn, Tx, W, Carter (1990); = n/a — RAB, S, Tat. Basionym: Cyperus acuminatus Torrey & W.J. Hooker ex Torrey 1836

Links to other floras: = Cyperus acuminatus - FNA23

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
• Great Plains: OBL
• Midwest: OBL
• Northcentral & Northeast: OBL

Heliophily ⓘ: 8