The graminoid families in
Cyperaceae specimens 126-132. Note that this family usually has 3-angled stems, which is most obvious, if present, immediately below the inflorescence. However, some members of this family have cylindrical stems similar to grasses. In this case, you will have to inspect the flowers, which differ from Poaceae in being clustered into spikelets that lack lemmas and paleas, and the spikelets are mostly with spirally arranged flowers, which is never the case for grasses. The perianth may be present in the form of barbed bristles, which is unique to Cyperaceae, even if not found in all genera of the family. Characteristics of these common genera are reported below, which should help identify an unknown graminoid.
126. Eleocharis palustris. Common spikerush. A native rhizomatous perennial often forming patches or lawns, distinguished from other spikerushes by the combination of its lenticular achenes that bear 2 stigma branches, stems over 15 cm tall, and perennial rhizomatous habit, a national wetlands indicator and one of the common spikerushes in North America, of low palatability. The spikerushes are distinguished from other genera in Cyperaceae by perfect flowers, a perianth of bristles, and most importantly by an achene with a thickened persistent style base, and an inflorescence of a single terminal spikelet.
127. Scirpus microcarpus. Panicled bulrush. A native rhizomatous perennial, distinguished from other bulrushes by its small spikelets in an open paniculate inflorescence subtended by several leafy bracts, by having reddish lower leaf sheaths, and by having a lenticular (not 3-angled) achene, common along streams, ditches, and ponds, usually in flowing fresh water, a national wetlands indicator, of low palatability. Scirpus is closely related to Eleocharis and distinguished only by lacking a thickened style base and having usually more than one spikelet terminating a stem. Otherwise, the flowers of these two genera are very similar.
128. Scirpus validus (or Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani). Softstem bulrush. A native rhizomatous perennial, the stems are cylindrical but the inflorescences, spikelets, and flowers are similar to Scripus microcarpus, forms extensive stands in ponds, along ditches, rivers, and other wet areas, a national wetlands indicator, of low palatability.
129. Cyperus esculentus. Yellow nutgrass (or
chufa flatsedge). A native and introduced rhizomatous perennial, distichous spikelets
occur in heads surrounded by radially
arranged leaves, something never seen in grasses, the 3-angled stem is
a clue that Cyperus is not a Poaceae. Cyperus is the only genus
of Cyperaceae in
130. Carex raynoldsii. Raynold's sedge. A native rhizomatous perennial, stems scattered in open montane moist meadows, ovaries with three stigma branches and 3-angled achenes (when mature), as well as the elongate spikelet that is pedicellate, the perigynia of this species is "inflated", of low palatability.
131. Carex lanuginosa. Woolly sedge. A native perennial with solitary stems, the perigynia are distinctly hairy or woolly, common along streams, ponds, and wet meadows, a national wetlands indicator.
132. Carex rostrata (or Carex
utriculata). Beaked sedge (or
Juncaceae specimens 133-136. The characteristic reduced flowers of Juncaceae still retain flower parts in multiples of three, unlike other graminoid families. The fruit is also very different from other graminoid families in being a capsule that splits open along three sutures and spills out three to many seeds (depending on the species).
133. Juncus ensifolius. Swordleaf rush. A native bunched perennial, stems from well-developed rhizomes, with laterally flattened leaves (folded flat along the midrib in fresh condition) and styles that protrude distinctly beyond the tepals, common in seepage areas and along roadsides with standing water, a facultative wetlands species, of moderate palatability. Juncaceae is grass-like in habit, but the flowers are perfect and have the distinct monocot arrangement with flower parts are in 3's (3 outer sepals, 3 inner petals, 3-6 stamens, and 1 ovary that has three carpels). In Juncus, the auricles are extensions of the leaf sheath rather than leaf blade.
134. Juncus buffonius. Toad rush. A native bunched annual, of moist areas, often meadows, a wetlands indicator, of low palatability.
135. Juncus balticus. Baltic rush. A strongly rhizomatous perennial with an upper inflorescence bract appearing as a continuation of the main stem and resulting in a later positioning of the inflorescence, aggressive in disturbed open grassy areas at mid elevations, a wetlands indicator, of moderate palatability. A similar growth form in Juncus is found in the higher elevation perennial bunched Juncus drummondii.
136. Luzula parviflora. Small-flowered woodrush. A native perennial, stems from short rhizomes, a common woodrush distinguished from the others by its open paniculate inflorescence, small flowers, and fairly ample leaves, indicative of moist mountain meadows. Woodrushes are very similar to rushes in that they are grass-like with perfect flowers and parts in 3's. However, woodrushes have a closed leaf sheath, long hairs along the margins of young leaf blades, and only one seed per carpel. Juncus has an open leaf sheath, glabrous leaf blades, and many seeds per carpel.
Typhaceae specimen 137. The inflorescence is characteristically cylindrical and the flower structure is very diagnostic (see pictures hyperlinked below).
137. Typha latifolia. Broadleaf cattail. A tall native perennial from extensive rhizomes, the flowers are monoecious, and the compact inflorescence bears pistillate flowers in the lower half and staminate ones in the upper half, the pistillate flower is borne on a hair-like pedicel and has several to many hair-like sepals, the fertile pistillate flowers bear on ovary on a stipe, and the style projects outward forming some of the brown color of the inflorescence surface, sterile pistillate flowers do not have a distinct ovary, but rather the style broadens distally into a bract-like structure that forms most of the color of the inflorescence, the staminate flowers comprise 2-5 stamens borne from a hair-like pedicel, common in wet and swampy places throughout the northern hemisphere, of low palatability. Typha latifolia is distinguished from the other cat-tail in this region by its inflorescence in which the uper staminate part is adjacent to the lower pistillate part.
