Cyperaceae: Cyperoideae [Draft]

12. Fimbristylis Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 285. 1805, nom. conserv.

飘拂草属  piao fu cao shu

Cyperus subgen. Iria L. C. Rich. ex Pers.; Iria (L. C. Rich.) Hedwig; Iriha O. Ktze.

 

    Small to medium annual or perennial herbs, sometimes rhizomatous. Culms usually tufted, slender, 3- or 5-angled or flattened. Leaves basal, sometimes reduced to bladeless sheaths; blades linear to filiform, usually dorsiventral and canaliculated, often cellular-reticulate on upper surface, rarely ensiform; ligules if present membranous or of a fringe of pubescence. Inflorescence terminal, simple to decompound, rarely capitate or a single terminal spikelet. Spikelets solitary or fascicled, ovoid, ellipsoid or subglobose, terete or flattened, bearing several to many flowers; glumes spirally arranged or lower ones or all distichous. Flowers bisexual, without hypogynous bristles; stamens 1-3; style-base enlarged, not persistent on achene. Achenes biconvex or trigonous, the surface reticulate or verruciferous, or with both reticulation and verrucae, sometimes stipitate.

 

    Over 200 species worldwide, mostly subtropical and tropical with the center of distribution in SE Asia. 55 species in China.

 

1a. Spikelets more or less compressed, at least glumes on lower part distichous; stigmas 3 (Sect. 4. Abildgaadia (Vahl) Bentham).

   2a. Spikelet single, terminal; involucral bracts glume-like (Ser. 18. Abildgaardia).

     3a. Achenes verruculose, stipes less than 0.5 mm; leaf blades 0.5-1 mm wide -------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 54. F. ovata (monostachya)

     3b. Achenes with few verrucae, stipes more than 1 mm; leaf blades narrower, ca. 0.5 mm wide --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 55. F. longistipitata

   2b. Spikelets 2 to several; bracts leafy, setaceous, or very rarely glume-like.

      4a. Glumes glabrous, not gland-dotted (Ser. 16. Fuscae Ohwi).

         5a. Achenes larger, 1-1.2 mm; spikelets often paired or fascicled rarely solitory at the apex of inflorescence rays; glumes sometimes inconspicuously distichous ----------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 47. F. nigrobrunnea

         5b. Achenes smaller, 0.7-0.9 mm; spikelets solitory.

            6a. Glumes yellowish brown; spikelets 6-10 mm; the lowest bract less than twice as long as spikelet -------------------------------------------------------- 48. F. eragrostis

            6b. Glumes reddish brown; spikelets 3-6 mm; the lowest bract more than 3 times as long as spikelet ----------------------------------- 49. F. disticha (=F. rufoglumosa?)

      4b. Glumes hairy or gland-dotted.

         7a. Glumes densely gland-dotted, glabrous; spikelets bearing 2 or 3 flowers; rays and raylets very slender, glabrous.

            8a. Leaf blades hairy on both surfaces, ligule absent; bracts surpassing inflorescence ----------------------------------------------------- 50. F. nanningensis

            8b. Leaf blades glabrous, ligule a fringe of short white hairs; bracts shorter than inflorescence ------------------------------------------------ 51. F. cinnamometorum

         7b. Glumes not gland-dotted, hairy; spikelets with more than 3 flowers; rays and raylets thicker, hairy.

             9a. Culm usually 20-40 cm; anthelae compound; flowering glumes 4-5 mm; achene attenuate to base, nearly sessile; style 4-5 mm ------------- 52. F. fusca

             9b. Culm 5-13 cm; anthelae simple, rarely compound; flowering glumes 3 mm; achene truncate at base, short-stipitate; style 2 mm ----------- 53. F. nanofusca

1b. Spikelets cylindrical, terete; all glumes spirally arranged.

  10a. Spikelet solitary, terminal; bracts glume-like; with bladeless sheaths only (Sect. 3. Fimbristylis).

      11a. Achenes narrowly oblong, the surface with hexagonal reticulaton, the base with a stipe ca. 0.75 mm; style compressed, ciliate; glume rounded at apex, many-veined; culms tetragonal (Ser. 13. Mischospora (Boeck.) Tang et Wang) -------------- 43. F. tetragona

      11b. Achene broadly obovoid, nearly sessile.

          12a. Stigmas 3; spikelets narrowly oblong or clavate-oblong, smaller, 3.5-4.5 x 1-1.5 mm; glumes pale, oblong or oblong-ovate, apex blunt, not apiculate; achenes white, with scattered verrucae and nearly hexagonal reticulation (Ser. 14. Hainanenses Tang et Wang) ------------------------------------------- 44 F. pauciflora

          12b. Stigmas 2; spikelets ovoid, rarely ovate-lanceolate, larger, 6-15 x 2-6 mm; glumes brown or pale green with brown speckles, apiculate; achenes yellowish white, with transverse ripples or with verrucae on margins (Ser. 15. Fimbristylis).

              13a. Spikelets slightly nodding; glumes brown; achenes with both transverse ripples and verrucae ------------------------------------------------- 45. F. nutans

              13b. Spikelets erect; glumes pale green, sometimes with brown speckles; achenes with transverse ripples but without verrucae ----- 46. F. acuminata

  10b. Spikelets 2-many, rarely solitary; bracts not glume-like; leaf blade present.

      14a. Stigmas 2, styles compressed, ciliate at upper part (only in F. merrillii not ciliate) (Sect. 2. Dichelostylis Benth. ).

         15a. Spikelets angular because of the keeled glumes; without rhizomes.

             16a. Style base with sparse long hairs covering the top of achene; achenes nearly smooth (Ser. 11. Pogonostylis (Bertol.) Tang et Wang).

                 17a. Midvein of glume projecting into often excurved awn 1-1.8 mm hence spikelets squarrose ------------------------------------------- 37. F. squarrosa

                 17b. Midvein of glume ending in a mucron at glume apex, hence spikelets not squarrose ------------------------------------------------ 38. F. makinoana

             16b. Style base without hair (Ser. 12. Bisumbellata Tang et Wang).

                 18a. Glumes pale brown; achenes larger, ca. 1 mm; leaf blades up to 1 mm wide ---------------------------------------------------------- 42. F. gracilenta

                 18b. Glumes brown; achenes small, ca. 0.75 mm.

                     19a. Achenes obovoid, nearly smooth, with unconspicuous hexagonal reticulation; leaf blades less than 1 mm wide ------ 41. F. aestivalis

                     19b. Achenes broadly obovoid, with prominent transverse oblong reticulation; leaf blades 0.7-1.5 mm wide.

                         20a. Style ciliate on upper part ------------------- 39. F. bisumbellata

                         20b. Style not ciliate ------------------------------------- 40. F. merrillii

         15b. Spikelets terete, not angular, usually much larger.

             21a. Spikelets 1 or 2, rarely 3.

                 22a. Achenes grayish black, obovoid, with transversely oblong reticulation and verrucae, stipes extremely short; growing in sandy places; glumes yellow or grayish white (Ser. 10. Polytrichoides Tang et Wang) ----------- -------------------------------------------------------------- 36. F. polytrichoides

                 22b. Achenes yellowish white or brown, broadly obovoid, with hexagonal reticulation; not growing in sandy places (Ser. 9. Schoenoides Tang et Wang).

                     23a. Glume width longer than or nearly equaling the length, yellowish white; achenes yellowish white, with short yellowish white stipe --------------------------------------------------------- 34. F. schoenoides

                     23b. Glume width shorter than length, brown; mature achenes brown, with brown stipe ----------------------------------- 35. F. subbispicata

             21b. Spikelets several to many (in F. ferruginea sometimes with only 1-3 spikelets, but glumes only 1-veined, culm base with leafless sheaths).

                 24a. Spikelets linear-oblong, rarely narrowly lanceolate; achenes with linear-oblong reticulation; without rhizome (Ser. 8. Hookerianae Tang et Wang).

                      25a. Spikelet single, inflorescence rays slender; glumes grayish green - ----------------------------------------------------------------- 32. F. fordii

                      25b. Spikelets digitately fasciated seldom single, inflorescence rays robust; glumes straw yellow ----------------------- 33. F. hookeriana

                 24b. Spikelets ovoid, rarely oblong or ellipsoid (Ser. 6. Dichotomae Ohwi).

                     26a. Stoloniferous; achenes 1.3 mm, with horizontally oblong reticulation, vertical ribs not obvious ------------- 30. F. stolonifera

                     26b. Not stoloniferous; achenes with hexagonal reticulation (F. dichotoma with oblong reticulation, but vertical ribs obvious. In F. ferruginea reticulation not obvious).

                         27a. Culm base with leafless sheaths; glumes 1-veined, upper part pubescent abaxially; leaf blade 1 mm wide; achenes almost smooth (Ser. 7. Ferrugineae Tang et Wang) ---------------------- ------------------------------------------------------ 31. F. ferruginea

                         27b. Culm base without leafless sheaths; glume with 3 or more veins, glabrous abaxially; leafblades more than 1 mm wide.

                             28a. Inflorescence inclined to nodding --------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- 29. F. subinclinata

                             28b. Inflorescence erect.

                                29a. Rhizome woody, horizontally elongated; culm base usually with old sheaths; glumes several-veined; leaf sheaths and blades pubescent ---------- 28. F. rigidula

                                29b. Rhizomes not prominent; glumes with 3 veins.

                                    30a. Achenes with transversely oblong reticulation, vertical ribs obvious or not, with short brown stipes at base.

                                        31a. Achenes with obvious vertical ribs, not verruculose ---------------- 24. F. dichotoma

                                        31b. Achenes without vertical ribs, sparsely verruculose --------------- 25. F. shimadana

                                    30b. Achenes with hexagonal reticulation, without obvious vertical ribs.

                                        32a. Plants pilose except spikelets; achenes with short brown stipes ----------------------- ------------------------- 26. F. dichotomoides

                                        32b. Plants glabrous; achenes not stipitate ------- ------------------------------- 27. F. longispica

      14b. Stigmas 3, rarely 2, style not compressed or rarely slightly compressed, not ciliate on upper part [Sect. 1. Trichelostylis (Lest.) Benth.].

         33a. Lower part of culms with 1-3 leafless sheaths, sheaths cylindrical or compressed (Ser. 5. Miliaceae Ohwi).

             34a. Leafblades compressed bilaterally, ensiform; sheaths compressed; bracts setaceous, basal part broader; spikelets spherical or nearly spherical, 1.5-5 mm; glumes ovate and blunt, 1mm; stigmas 3 ----------------- 16. F. miliacea

             34b. Leafblades dorsivebtrally flattened, canaliculate; sheaths tubular.

                35a. Leaves reduce to bladeless sheaths ---------- 18. F. salbundia (really in China?)

                35b. Leaves bladed.

                    36a. Culms trigonous to subterete -------------------------- 23. F. umbellaris

                    36b. Culms 4-5-angular to subterete.

                       37a. Anthelae simple or nearly compound (rarely reduced to a single spikelet); glumes without dark brown line; spikelets more or less obtuse.

                           38a. Culm leaves present; bracts setaceous, broader at lower part; anthelae with many spikelets -------------- 21. F. diphylloides

                           38b. Culm without normal leaves, but vegetative shoots with bladed leaves; bracts lanceolate, with brown membranous margins; anthelae with fewer spikelets or with only one spikelet ------------------- 22. F. globulosa (culms trigonous?)

                       37b. Anthelae usually compound; each side of glume with 2 or 1 dark brown lines; spikelets subacute.

                           39a. Achenes larger, more than 1 mm; spikelets usually larger, 3-7 mm --------------------------------------------- 17. F. aphylla

                           39b. Achenes smaller, 0.5-0.8 mm; spikelets usually smaller, 2-3(-5) mm.

                              40a. Ligule absent; achenes obovate; stamens 1, rarely 2 ----- --------------------------------------- 19. F. quinquangularis

                              40b. Ligule a fringe of pubescence; achenes broadly obovate; stamens 3 ----------------------------- 20. F. chingmaiensis

         33b. Culm leaves bladed.

            41a. Culms tufted; without rhizomes.

               42a. Achenes oblong; stigmas 3 [Ser. 1. Echinolytrum (Desv.) Tang et Wang].

                  43a. Glumes ferrugineous; achenes not papillate -------------- 3. F. stauntoni

43b. Glumes yellowish-green; achenes papillate laterally, papillae deciduous later.

                     44a. Mucro of glumes short and straight; achenes cylindric ---------- ----------------------------------------------------------- 1. F. verrucifera

                     44b. Mucro of glumes long and excurved; achenes compressed ------- -------------------------------------------------------------- 2. F. dipsacea

               42b. Achenes obovoid; glumes normaly yellowish-green; stigmas 2-3 (Ser. 2. Autumnales Ohwi).

                   45a. Stigmas 2; bract longer than inflorescence ------------------ 6. F. henryi

                   45b. Stigmas 3; bract shorter than inflorescence.

46a. Achenes broadly obovoid -------------------- 4. F. wukungshanensis

46b. Achenes obovoid ------------------------------------- 5. F. microcarya

            41b. Rhizomes short or stoloniferous.

               47a. Achenes yellowish-white; stigmas 3 (Ser. 3. Complanata Tang et Wang).

                   48a. Glumes densely gland-dotted, margins fimbtiate-ciliate, often emarginate at apex -------------------------------------- 14. F. leptoclada

                   48b. Glumes not gland-dotted, margins not fimbtiate-ciliate, the apex not emarginate.

                       49a. Stoloniferous; bracts subulate or glume-like --------- 9. F. pierotii

                       49b. Not stoloniferous; bracts leaflike.

                           50a. Leaf sheaths not compressed; glumes 5-7-veined, keeled on back; achenes oblong-obovoid, c. 2 mm ----------------------- ------------------------------------------------------ 7. F. thomsonii

                           50b. Leaf sheaths compressed; glumes 1-veined, sharply keeled on back; achenes obovoid or broadly obovoid, c. 1.5 mm --- --------------------------------------------------- 8. F. complanata

               47b. Achenes purplish-black; stigmas 2-3; without ligule (Ser. 4. Cymosae Ohwi).

                   51a. Whole plant covered with dense white silky hairs; rhizomes elongated, branched ------------------------------------------------------ 12. F. sericea

                   51b. Plant glabrous; rhizomes short, not branched.

                       52a. Spikelets 10-20 mm; style trigonous, stigmas 3 ------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ 13. F. insignis

                       52b. Spikelets 3-10 mm; style slightly flat or flat, stigmas 2 or 3.

                           53a. Glumes larger, 4.5 mm, apiculate; spikelets 6-10 x 2.5-4 mm; stigmas 2 ------------------------------ 15. F. psammocola

                           53b. Glumes smaller, 1.25-2 mm, blunt at apex; spikelets 3-6 x 1.5-2.5 mm.

                               54a. Achenes trigonous, rarely biconvex; stigmas 3, rarely 2; many spikelets congested together -------- 10. F. cymosa

                               54b. Achenes biconvex, rarely triangular; stigma 2, rarely 3; spikelets solitary or a few fascicled ---- 11. F. spathacea

 

1. Fimbristylis verrucifera (Maximowicz) Makino in Bot. Mag. Tokyo, 9: 259. 1895. (=F. dipsacea?)

疣果飘拂草  you guo piao fu cao

Isolepis verrucifera Maximowicz, Prim. Fl. Amur. 300. 1859; Scirpus verruciferus (Maximowicz) Meinshausen.

Culms densely tufted without rhizome, slender, smooth. Leaves much shorter than culms, capillaceous, soft, involute or nearly flat, 30-50 x 0.25-0.5 mm; sheaths rusty-brown, glabrous, thinly membranous, mouth obliquely split. Bracts 3-10, setaceous, the lowest 1-2 bracts sometimes slightly surpassing the inflorescence; anthelae simple or nearly compound, with fewer to numerous spikelets, rays 3-10, unequal, slender, spreading; spikelets solitary, rarely 2 clustered, oblong or oblong-ovate, 3-6 x 2-2.5 mm, many-flowered; glumes oblong or oblong-ovate, thinly membranous, pale white or pale straw yellow, blunt at apex, with a straight mucro, with green keel abaxially, 1-veined, 1 mm (excluding the mucro), mucro 0.25-0.3 mm; stamen 1, anther lanceolate, apiculate; style white, slightly thickened at base, stigmas 2. Achenes oblong, shinning, brown, nearly truncate at base, with slender stipes, surface with transversely hexagonal reticulation or nearly linear horizontal lines.

Heilongjiang, Hunan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea, Russia].

 

2. Fimbristylis dipsacea (Rottböll) C. B. Clarke in Hook. f. Fl. Brit. India. 6: 635. 1893.

起绒飘拂草  qi rong piao fu cao

Scirpus dipsaceus Rottboll, Descr. Icon. Rar. Nov. Pl. 56, t. 12, f. 1. 1773. 

Culms tufted without rhizome, glabrous, 2.5-15 cm. Leaves often as long as or shorter than culms, capillaceous. Bracts several, capillaceous, usually surpassing the inflorescence; anthelae simple or nearly compound, 2-7.5 cm in diameter, with 4-10 spikelets; spikelets nearly globose, 3-6 mm in diameter; glumes elliptic, pale white, with green keels abaxially, 1-veined, with excurved long awns at apex; stamen 1-2, anther oblong, blunt at apex; young ovary often with papillae laterally, style slender, glabrous, stigmas 2. Achenes narrowly oblong, compressed, slightly shorter than glumes, pale brown, with stipitate papillae laterally, papillae deciduous.

Guangxi, Hainan (according to literature also in Guangdong and Yunnan) [Africa, E Himalayas, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka].

 

3. Fimbristylis stauntoni Debeaux et Franchet in Acta Soc. Linn. Bord. 31: 31, t. 3. 1877.

烟台飘拂草  yan tai piao fu cao

Culms tufted without rhizome, flatly trigonous, 4-40 cm, striate, glabrous, erect, rarely curved, with fewer leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, flat, glabrous, attenuate, acute at apex, 1-2.5 mm wide; sheaths membranous adaxially, mouth obliquely split, pale brown, 0.5-7 cm, ligules very short, truncate, ciliate. Bracts 2-3, leafy, slightly longer or shorter than the inflorescence; bractlets subulate or glume-like, dilated at base, awned; anthelae simple or compound, 1-7 x 1.5-7 cm, with fewer rays; rays more or less spreading, slender, 1-7 cm; spikelets solitary, broadly ovate or oblong, acute, obtuse or round at apex, cuneate at base, 3-7 x 1.5-2.5 mm, many-flowered; glumes membranous, oblong-lanceolate, rusty, with green keels abaxially, 1-veined, mucronate, mucro not excurved; stamen 1, anther ca. 0.4 mm, apiculate; style nearly cylindrical, glabrous, slightly inflated to spherical at base, stigmas 2-3. Achenes oblong, nearly cylindrical, yellowish white, 1 mm, with transversely oblong reticulation.

Farming fields, wet sandy places, among grasses; 0-660 m. Anhui, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jilin, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea].

 

4. Fimbristylis wukungshanensis Tang et Wang in Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 11: 226. 1961.

武功山飘拂草  wu gong shan piao fu cao

Rhizome absent. Culms tufted, trigonous, short, 5.5-11.5 cm, striate, glabrous, with 1-2 leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, flat, 1-2 mm wide, glabrous, attenuate to acute at apex, sheaths 7-11 mm, membranous and rusty adaxially, obliquely split, ligules truncate, ciliate. Bracts 2-3, leafy, shorter than inflorescence; bractlets subulate, broader at base, membranous; anthelae simple or compound, 1.5-4.5 x 0.5-3 cm; rays 3-4, spreading, slender, 6-22 mm; spikelet solitary, ovate or nearly ovate, acute at apex, 3-4 x 1-1.2 mm, 7-8-flowered; glumes ovate-lanceolate, pale brownish yellow, broadly hyaline at margins, with green keels abaxially, 3-veined, mucronate, 1.7-2 mm (including mucro); stamen 1, anther oblong, apiculate, 0.5 mm, 4-5 times shorter than filament; style base inflated to conical, stigmas 3, 1/3 length of style. Achenes broadly obovate, trigonous, pale yellow, less than 1 mm, sparsely verruculose.

Watersider on slopes; 600m. Jiangxi (Wugongshan, Pinxiang Xian). .

 

5. Fimbristylis microcarya F. Muell, Fragm. 1: 200. 1859.

台北飘拂草  tai bei piao fu cao

Annual; culms densely tufted, 100-300 x 0.7-1.3 mm, flatly trigonous, smooth. Leaves basal, few; blades linear, flat, 1.5-5 mm wide, up to 18 cm long, scabrid on upper margins; sheaths light straw-colored to pale brown; ligule a fringe of hairs. Inflorescence decompound, loose, 3-6 x 3-6 cm; involucral bracts 3-4, lowest leafy, to 4 cm long; primary branches 2-5, unequal, 1-5 cm long, scabrous above. Spikelets numerous, solitary, lanceolate, 2-4 x 1-1.2 mm, acute, slightly angular, subloosely 5-10-flowered, rusty-brown. Glumes numerous, spiral, ovate, 1-2 mm, mucronate, membranous, light rusty-brown with pale brownish margins, keeled, 3-nerved. Stamens 1-2, anthers 0.2-0.3 mm long. Style triquetrous, glabrous, dilated at base; stigmas 3. Achenes obovate, 0.5-0.7 x 0.3-0.4 mm, subsessile, light straw-colored, smoothish or with scattered verrucae, slightly cancellate with transversely oblong cells.

 

1a. Leaf blades 1.5-2.5 mm wide; glumes 1-1.2 mm ------------------------------- 5a. var. microcarya

1b. Leaf blades 3-5 mm wide; glumes 1.5-2 mm ------------------------------------ 5a. var. tainanensis

 

5a. var. microcarya

台北飘拂草（原变种）  tai bei piao fu cao (yuan bian zhong)

Fimbristylis taiwanica Ohwi; F. autumnalis (Linnaeus) Roemer & Schultes subsp. taiwanica (Ohwi) T. Koyama.

Leaf blades 1.5-2.5 mm wide; glumes 1-1.2 mm.

Open wet places. Taiwan [Australia, India, Malesia].

 

5b. var. tainanensis (Ohwi) H. Y. Liu in Fl. Taiwan, 2nd ed. 5: 272. 2000.

台南飘拂草（变种）  tai nan piao fu cao (bian zhong)

Fimbristylis tainanensis Ohwi in Journ. Jap. Bot. 14: 547. 1938; F. autumnalis (Linnaeus) Roemer & Schultes subsp. tainanensis (Ohwi) T. Koyama.

Leaf blades 3-5 mm wide; glumes 1.5-2 mm.

Open wet places. Taiwan (endemic).

 

6. Fimbristylis henryi C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. 34: 237. 1903.

宜昌飘拂草  yi chang piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis unicolor Ohwi et T. Koyama.

Culms tufted without rhizome, trigonous, 3-20 cm, striate, glabrous, with ca. 2 leaves at base. Leaves longer than culms, 1-3 mm wide, flat, glabrous, attenuate, acute; sheaths1-3.5 cm, membranous adaxially, mouth obliquely split, rusty; ligule truncate, ciliate. Bracts leafy, 2-3, rarely 4, longer or shorter than inflorescence; bractlets subulate, broad at lower part, membranous at margins; anthelae simple, compound or decompound, 1-5 cm in diameter; rays 2-4, 0.5-3 cm; spikelets solitary, narrowly oblong or narrowly elliptic, rarely ovate, obtuse or nearly acute, 3-8 x 1-1.5 mm, with 8-10 or more flowers; glumes ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 2 mm (including mucro)，yellowish green or pale brown, broadly hyaline at margins, with green keels abaxially, 3-veined; stamen 1, anther oblong, apiculate, 0.5 mm, about 1/4-1/5 length of filament; style inflated at base to conical, stigmas 2, 1/2 length of style. Achenes elliptic-obovate, obovate or elliptic, flat-convex, pale yellow, less than 1 mm, surface with transversely oblong reticulation, not verruculose. Fl. and fr. Aug-Nov.

Farming fields, on rocks, marshes, riversides; 130-2000m. Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang.

 

7. Fimbristylis thomsonii Boeckeler in Linnaea, 37: 37. 1871.

西南飘拂草  xi nan piao fu cao

Rhizome short. Culms tufted, flatly and obtusely trigonous, (11-) 25-70 cm, striate, with many leaves at base. Leaves slightly shorter than culms or 1/4-1/2 length of culms, 2-4.5 mm wide, flat, stiff, finely toothed at margins, apex acute; sheaths brown, membranous and rusty brown adaxially, apex truncate. Leafy bracts 2-3, much shorter than inflorescence; bractlets subulate, broader at base; anthelae compound or decompound, 0.7-3.5 cm; rays 2-4; spikelets solitory, oblong-ovate or elliptic, acute at apex, 5-10 x 2-3 mm, flowers7-10+; glumes ovate, acute, 2.2-3.5 mm, chestnut-brown, membranous at margins, 5-7-veined, midrib green, extending to a mucro; stamens 3, anthers narrowly oblong, 2 mm, 2 times longer than filaments; ovary oblong, nearly trigonous, slightly narrower at base, style trigonous, not ciliate, inflated to oblong-conical at base, stigmas 3, slightly longer than style. Achenes obovate, obtusely trigonous, yellowish white or yellow, 2 mm, surface with transversely oblong reticulation and verrucae. Fl. and Fr. May-Jun.

Grassy slopes; 170-1500 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan [India, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam].

 

8. Fimbristylis complanata (Retzius) Link, Hort. Berol. 1: 292. 1827.

扁鞘飘拂草  bian qiao piao fu cao

    Scirpus complanattus Retzius, Observ. 5: 14. 1789.

Rhizomes long or short. Culms tufted, flatly trigonous or tetragonous, 50-70 cm, striate, sometimes winged above, with many leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, flat, thickly chartaceous, finely serrulate on upper margins, acute; sheaths compressed bilaterally, keeled adaxially, membranous and rusty abaxially, mouth obliquely split, ciliate, ligules very short and ciliate. Bracts 2-4, nearly erect, much shorter than inflorescence; bractlets setaceous, broader at base; anthelae large, nearly simple, compound or decompound, 7.5-10.5 x 4-7 cm; rays 3-4, compressed, scabrid, 1-7 cm; spikelets many, solitary, oblong or ovate-lanceolate, acute, 5-9 x 1.2-2 mm, 5-13-flowered; glumes ovate, acute, 3 mm, brown, with yellowish green keel abaxially, with 1 vein extending into a mucro; stamens 3, anthers oblong, acute, 1+ mm, 1/4 length of filaments; ovary trigonous, oblong; style trigonous, glabrous, inflated to conical at base, stigmas 3, about as long as style. Achenes obovate or broadly obovate, obtusely trigonous, white or yellowish white, 1.5 mm, with transversely oblong reticulation. Fl. and Fr. Jul-Oct.

 

1a. Culms 50-70 cm, robust; leaf blades 3-5 mm wide; anthelae nearly decompound ----------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8a var. complanata

1b. Culms 10-50 cm, slender; leaf blades 1-2.5 mm wide; anthelae nearly simple or compound ---- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8b var. kraussiana

 

8a. var. complanata

扁鞘飘拂草（原变种）  bian qiao piao fu cao (yuan bian zhong)

    Rhizomes long or short, sometimes nearly diageotropic. Culms robust, 50-70 cm. Leaf blades 3-5 mm wide. Inflorescence decompound.

Wet places in valley, grasslands, streamsides; 500-3000 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan [India, Indochina, Japan, Korea, Malaysia].

 

8b. var. kraussiana (Hochstetter ex Steudel) C. B. Clarke in Hooker f. Fl. Brit. India 6: 646. 1893.

矮扁鞘飘拂草（变种）  ai bian qiao piao fu cao (bian zhong)

Fimbristylis kraussiana Hochstetter ex Steudel in Flora, 28: 757. 1845.

Rhizomes slender, sometimes very short. Culms slender, 20-50 cm, sometimes only 10 cm. Leaf blades 1-2.5 mm wide. Inflorescence nearly simple or compound.

Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shandong, Taiwan, Zhejiang [Africa, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Sri Lanka].

 

9. Fimbristylis pierotii Miquel in Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat. 2: 145. 1865.

东南飘拂草  dong nan piao fu cao

Rhizome creeping, up to 2 mm in diameter, covered with ovate glumes. Culms solitary, flatly trigonous, 13-35 cm, upper part scabrid, with 4-6 leaves and 2 nearly leafless sheaths at base. Leaves shorter than or nearly as long as culms, 1.2-2 mm wide, flat or incurved-margined, apex acute, finely serrulate on margins; sheaths membranous adaxially, rusty-brown, mouth obliquely split, not ciliate, without ligule. Bracts 1-3, shorter than inflorescence, subulate or glume-like with long awns; anthelae simple, 1.5-2.5 cm, with 2-7 spikelets; spikelets oblong, elliptic or ovate, acute at apex, 6-10 x 2.5-4 mm, 9-flowered; glumes broadly ovate, obtuse or nearly acute, 4 mm，chestnut-brown, margins membranous and white, 3-veined, with green keels abaxially, the lowest 2 glumes with short hard mucro; stamens 3, anther linear-oblong, 2 mm, about 1/4 the length of filaments; ovary oblong, trigonous, slightly narrower below; style trigonous, not ciliate, base conical; stigmas 3, nearly as long as style. Achenes broadly obovate, flat-convex, 1+ mm, brown, finely verruculose. Fl. and fr. May-Sept.

1-3000m. Anhui, Fujian, Jiangsu, Shandong, Yunnan, Zhejiang [C. and NW Himalayas, Japan, Korea].

 

10. Fimbristylis cymosa R. Brown, Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. 228. 1810.

黑果飘拂草  hei guo piao fu cao

Rhizome short, not elongated. Culms tufted, flatly and obtusely trigonous, thick at base, 10-60 cm, with many leaves. Leaves extremely rigid, thick, flat, apex acute, finely serrulate on margins, 1.5-4 mm wide. Bracts 1-3, shorter than inflorescence; anthelae simple or nearly compound, rarely reduced to head, rays spreading; spikelets numerous, clustered, oblong or ovate, obtuse at apex, 4-6 x 2 mm, sessile, densely many-flowered; glumes nearly membranous, ovate, obtuse at apex, reddish brown, with broad white membranous margins, indistinctly 3-veined abaxially; stamens 3, anthers linear, ca. 0.7 mm; style tenuous, not ciliate, base slightly thickened; stigmas 3. Achenes broadly obovate, trigonous, 0.75 mm, indistinctly verruculose, surface reticulation square or transversely oblong, sometimes nearly smooth, purplish black when mature.

Taiwan [Austrilia, Indonesia, Japan].

 

11. Fimbristylis spathacea Roth, Nov. Sp. Pl. 24. 1821. (=F. cymosa?)

佛焰苞飘拂草  fo yan bao piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis wightiana Nees; Fimbristylis formosensis C. B. Clarke; Fimbristylis kankaoensis Hayata.

Rhizome short. Culms few together, almost not tufted, obtusely trigonous, striate, bearing leaves at base, base covered with fibriform blackish brown old sheaths. Leaves much shorter than culms, 1-3 mm wide, linear, apex acute, rigid, flat, slightly shining, margins slightly involute with sparse fine serration; sheaths membranous and white adaxially, mouth obliquely split, without ligules. Bracts 1-3, erect, leafy, much shorter than inflorescence; anthelae small, compound or decompound, 1.5-2.5 x 1-3 cm; rays 3-6, obtusely trigonous, 3-15 mm; spikelet solitory or 2-3 clustered, ovate or oblong, obtuse at apex, 3-5 x 1.5-2.5 mm, densely many-flowered; glumes broadly ovate, obtuse at apex, membranous, 1.25 mm, rusty-brown, 3-5-veined abaxially, margins broadly hyaline, sometimes only mid-vein protruding as keel; stamens 3, anthers narrowly oblong, acute, ca. 1.5 mm, 1/2 the length of filaments; ovary oblong, slightly narrower at base, style slightly compressed, not ciliate, stigmas 2, rarely 3, nearly equaling to style. Achenes obovate or broadly obovate, biconvex, blackish purple, 1 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Oct.

Gravel places along river, sandy seashores; 0-350m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan [Africa, India, Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam].

 

12. Fimbristylis sericea (Poiret) R. Brown, Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holland. 228. 1810.

绢毛飘拂草  juan mao piao fu cao

    Scirpus sericeus Poiret, Encycl. Suppl. 5: 99. 1804; Fimbristylis decora Nees et Meyen.

Rhizome obliquely or horizontally elongated, branched, covered with blackish brown old sheaths, sheaths often fibriform. Culms spaced, 15-30 cm, obtusely trigonous, with white silky hairs, bearing leaves at base. Leaves flat, 1.5-3.2 mm wide, curved, with densely white silky hairs on both surfaces, acute at apex; sheaths membranous and rusty-brown adaxially, mouth obliquely split, without ligule. Bracts 2-3, leafy, with white silky hairs on both surfaces, shorter than inflorescence; anthelae simple; rays 2-4, compressed, 0.7-2.5 mm, sometimes extremely short, with white silky hairs; spikelets 3-15 capitate, oblong-ovate or oblong, acute, 6-10 x 2-3.5 mm; glumes ovate, 3 mm, obtuse with hard mucro at apex, with red-purplish lineolae on both sides, the margins broad and white, the costa 1-veined white-pilose. Stamens 3, anthers narrowly oblong, 3 mm; ovary oblong, biconvex, style slightly compressed, base slightly inflated and hairy, slightly pubescent at upper part, stigmas 2, slightly shorter than style. Achenes elliptic-obovate or obovate, biconvex, 1.5 mm, yellowish white or brown when young, blackish purple when mature. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct.

Sandy places or sand dunes along seashore; 0-350m. Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, Zhejiang [Australia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam].

 

13. Fimbristylis insignis Thwaites, Enum. Pl. Zeyl. 349. 1864.

硬穗飘拂草  ying sui piao fu cao

Rhizomes short. Culms stiffish, 20-40 cm, cylindrical, sometimes slightly compressed on upper part, deeply striate, smooth, glabrous, basal sheaths bladed. Leaves 1/3-1/2 the length of culms, 1-2.5 mm wide, flat, nearly coriaceous, acute or slightly obtuse, margins finely serrulate; sheaths less than 5 cm, coriaceous; ligule absent. Bracts 2-3, leafy, erect, shorter than inflorescence, base slightly dilated; anthelae simple or compound, with 3-5 rays and 10+ spikelets; rays flatly cylindric, slightly rigid, 2-4 cm; spikelets solitary, oblong-lanceolate, nearly cylindric, 1-20 x ca. 4 mm, acute; glumes densely spiral, oblong, ca. 6 mm, mucronate, keeled abaxially, mid-vein distinct, the lowest 2-3 empty; stamens 3, anthers linear-oblong, ca. 2 mm; style trigonous, 4-5 mm, ciliate on upper part, inflated at base, stigmas 3. Achens broadly obcordiform, trigonous, ca. 1.5 mm, grayish black when mature, with hexagonal reticulation and verrucae.

Dry slopes, lean soil. Guangdong, Hainan.

 

14. Fimbristylis leptoclada Bentham, Fl. Hongk. 393. 1861.

Rhizomatous perennial. Culms tufted, 150-600 x 0.2-1.5 mm, trigonous, smooth to scabrid. Leaves basal, few; blade filiform, 100-300 x 0.3-0.5 mm, obtuse, margins more or less incurved; sheath 1.5-4 cm, pale-hyaline to light-brown, apex oblique; ligule 0. Involucral bracts 1-3, glume-like or setaceous, the longest 5-20 mm. Inflorescence of simple anthela or capitate, 5-20 x 5-8 mm; rays (when present) up to 2 cm long. Spikelets 3-12 per inflorescence, in clusters of 2-8, ellipsoid, 2.2-3.5 x 1.5-2 mm. Glumes 10-15 per spikelet, spirally imbricate, broadly ovate, 1-1.5 x 0.7-1.3 mm, rounded-truncate or shallowly emarginated at mucronulate apex, sides membranous, brown, densely gland-dotted, margins pale-hyaline, fimbriate-ciliate above, keel obtuse, 3-nerved, pale-brown. Stamens 1-2; anthers 0.5 mm. Stigmas 3. Achenes obovoid, trigonous, 0.7-0.9 x 0.5-0.7 mm, cream, verruculose.

Dry sandy places; 50 m. S China [Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam]. Specimens unseen, description adopted from Flora of Thailand.

 

15. Fimbristylis psammocola Tang et Wang in Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 11: 227. 1961.

砂生飘拂草  sha sheng piao fu cao

Rhizome short. Culms solitary, 5-16 cm, obtusely trigonous or nearly cylindrical, striate, bearing leaves at base, base covered with blackish brown old sheaths, sheaths often fibriform. Leaves slightly shorter than or equaling culms, 1-2.5 mm wide, acute, stiff, margins slightly involute, slightly scabrid; sheaths membranous and brown adaxially, mouth obliquely split, without ligules. Bracts 2-4, subulate, shorter or slightly longer than inflorescence; anthelae simple or compound, 2-4 x 1.2-2.5 cm, with 1-14 spikelets; rays 3-5, nearly cylindrical, 0.6-2.5 mm; spikelets solitary, narrowly elliptic, acute, 6-10 x 2.5-4 mm, densely many-flowered; glumes triangular-ovate, 4-5 mm, acute, grayish green, margins broadly hyaline, slightly pubescent on abaxial middle part, 3-veined, lateral veins brown, mid-vein green, keeled and extending into hard mucro; stamens 3, anthers linear, acute, 2.5 mm, ca. 1/2 the length of filaments; style compressed, not ciliated, base slightly inflated, 2 mm, stigmas 2, very long, 1 x longer than style. Achenes unseen. Fl. May.

Sandy places along river; 540m. Yunnan (Xishuangbanna).

 

16. Fimbristylis miliacea (Linnaeus) Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 287. 1806. (= F. littoralis Gaudich. Voy. Uranie 431. 1829? Cf. Fl. Taiwan. 2nd Ed.)

水虱草  shui shi cao

    Scirpus miliaceus Linnaeus, Syst. ed. 10, 868. 1759.

Culms tufted without rhizome, (1.5-) 10-60 cm, flatly tetragonous, striate, bearing 1-3 bladeless sheaths at base, sheaths compressed bilaterally, mouth obliquely split, attenuate upwards, sometimes setaceous, (1.5-) 3.5-9 cm. Leaves shorter to longer than culms, compressed bilaterally, ensiform, sparsely and finely serrulate on margins, attenuate upwards into setaceous tip, (1-)1.5-2 mm wide; leaf sheaths compressed bilaterally, keeled adaxially, with membranous and rusty margins abaxially, mouth obliquely split, without ligule. Bracts 2-4, setaceous, dilated at base, with rusty-brown and membranous margins; anthelae compound or decompound, rarely simple, with many spikelets; rays 3-6, slender and scabrid, 0.8-5 cm; spikelets solitary, globose or nearly globose, rounded at apex, 1.5-5 x 1.5-3 mm; glumes ovate, obtuse, membranous, 1-1.3 mm, chestnut-colored, keeled abaxially, 3-veined, brown along lateral veins, mid-vein green; stamens 2, anthers oblong, obtuse, 0.75 mm, 1/2 length of filaments; style trigonous, slightly inflated at base, not ciliate, stigmas 3, 1/2 the length of style. Achenes obovate or broadly obovate, obtusely trigonous, 1 mm, straw-yellow, with verrucae and transversely oblong reticulation.

Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Australia, Brasil, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Polynesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United States, Vietnam].

 

16b. var. koidzumiana (Ohwi) T. Koyama in J. Fac. Sci. Univ. Tokyo III. 8: 108. 1961.

小泉氏飘拂草  xiao quan shi piao fu cao

Culms scabrous above; inflorescence subdense; glumes dark brown, 3.5-6 mm.

In rice fields. Taiwan [Indochina, Micronesia, China and Japan].

 

17. Fimbristylis aphylla Steudel, Syn. Cyp. 2: 114. 1855.

无叶飘拂草  wu ye piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis globulosa var. aphylla (Steud.) Miquel, Fl. Ind. Bat. 3: 322. 1856.

Rhizome short, woody. Culms densely tufted, thinner, quinquangular, smooth, bearing a few bladeless sheaths at base, sheaths cylindrical, mouth obliquely truncate, attenuate at apex, membranous and brown on margins, often with radical shoots of only bladed leaves, leaf blades linear, margins involute. Bracts 3-5, much shorter than inflorescence, 6-25 mm, needle-like, scabrid on margins; anthelae decompound, spreading; rays 5-8, slender, up to 7 cm; spikelets solitary, oblong or elliptic, 2.5-7 x 1.2-3 mm; glumes densely spirally arranged, broadly ovate or nearly elliptic, obtuse or round at apex, membranous, apiculate, ca. 2.5 mm, ferruginous or yellowish brown, margins paler, keeled abaxially, prominently 3-veined, veins yellow or greenish yellow, often dark brown between lateral veins; stamens 3, anthers linear, style short and flat, slightly inflated at base, not ciliate, stigmas 3, longer than style, densely ciliate. Achenes obovate, trigonous, 0.6-0.8 mm, pale brown, short-stipitate, with upheaving transverse waves and verrucae.

 

1a. Culms rigid, 50-100 cm; spikelets larger, 3.5-7 x 2.5-3 mm ---------------------- 17a. var. aphylla

1b. Culms slender, usually shorter; spikelets smaller, 2.5-5 x 1.2-2 mm ------------ 17b. var. gracilis

 

17a. var. aphylla

无叶飘拂草（原变种）  wu ye piao fu cao (yuan bian zhong)

Culms slender, rigid, 50-100 cm. Spikelets larger, 3.5-7 x 2.5-3 mm, many-flowered. Fl. and Fr. Sept-Oct.

Swamp. Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam].

 

17b. var. gracilis Tang et Wang in Fl. Reipub. Popul. Sin. 11: 227. 1961.

小飘拂草（变种）  xiao piao fu cao (bian zhong)

Culms slender, shorter. Spikelets smaller, 2.5-5 x 1.2-2 mm, with several to 10+ flowers. Fl. and Fr. Jun-Jul.

Wet places along stream and in valley. Yunnan.

There are several specimens of this variety with thicker and higher culms, and bigger spikelets. The only difference of this variety from var. aphylla is fewer spikeltes.

 

18. Fimbristylis salbundia (Nees) Kunth, Enum. Pl. 2: 230. 1937.

Trichelostylis salbundia Nees in Wight, Contr. Bot. Ind. 105. 1834; Fimbristylis haspaniformis T. Koyama.

Rhizomatous perennial. Culms crowded along rhizome, 300-800 x 1-3 mm, acutely 4-5-angled, smooth. Leaves reduced to bladeless sheaths; sheath 1-17 cm long, apex lanceolate, dusky or cinnamon brown; ligule 0. Involucral bracts 2-5, setaceous with lanceolate base, the longest up to 1.5 cm. Inflorescence compound to decompound, open, 2-6 x 2-6 cm; primary rays 6-8, up to 5 cm long. Spikelets ovoid to ovoid-ellipsoid, 3-5 x 2 mm. Glumes many, spirally arranged, ovate, 2-2.3 x 1.5 mm, obtuse, sides membranous, light brown, margins hyaline, keel obtuse, 1-nerved, pale brown. Stamens (2-)3; anthers 0.7-1 mm. Stigma 3. Achenes broadly obovoid, trigonous, 0.8-1 x 0.6-0.8 mm, whitish to yellowish brown, smooth to sparsely verruculose, with 9-14 longitudinal rows of epidermal cells on each side.

Swampy places, 1750 m. Yunnan [India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietman].

 

19. Fimbristylis quinquangularis (Vahl) Kunth, Enum. Pl. 2: 229. 1837.

五棱秆飘拂草  wu leng gan piao fu cao

    Scirpus quinquangularis Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 279. 1806; Fimbristylis fauriei Ohwi in Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 1: 77. 1930.

Rhizome absent or very short. Culms tufted, quinquangular, 14-120 cm, bearing 0-3 bladeless sheaths above base, sheaths cylindrical, mouth oblique, 3-17 cm; bladed leaves present or absent. Bracts 4, setaceous, much shorter than inflorescence, finely serrulate on margins; anthelae decompound, 5-9 x 3-6 cm; rays 4, scabrid, 1-4 cm; spikelets solitary, ovate, acute or nearly obtuse, 2-5 x 1.2-1.5 mm; glumes ovate, obtuse, apiculate, 2 mm, chestnut-brown, margins paler, keeled abaxially, 3-veined, with 2 dark brown lines on each side of mid-vein; stamen 1 or 2, anther oblong, ca. 0.5 mm, 1/3 the length of filament; style trigonous, base slightly inflated, slightly pubescent on upper part, stigmas 3, slightly longer than style. Achenes obovate, trigonous, with verrucae and transverse linear reticulation.

 

1a. Spikelets smaller, 2-3(-5) mm ---------------------------------------------- 19a. var. quinquangularis

1b. Spikelets larger, 3-5 mm.

2a. Stamens 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 19b. var. elata

2b. Stamens 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 19c. var. bistaminifera

 

19a. var. quinquangularis

五棱秆飘拂草（原变种）  wu leng gan piao fu cao (yuan bian zhong)

Culms 14-70 cm. Culm leaves 1-3, stem shoots with 6 leaves, leaf blades flat, shorter than or nearly equaling culms, 2-3 mm wide, acute or obtuse, finely serrulate on margins; sheaths membranous adaxially, rusty-brown, mouth obliquely split, without ligule. Spikelets smaller, 2-3(-5) x 1.2-1.5 mm, stamen 1. Achenes smaller, 0.8 mm. Fl. and Fr. Aug-Oct.

Swamp. Anhui, Fujian, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam].

 

19b. var. elata Tang et Wang in Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 11: 227. 1961.

高五棱飘拂草（变种）  gao wu leng piao fu cao (bian zhong)

Culms up to more than 120 cm. Leaves absent or nearly without leaves. Spikelets larger, 3-5 mm; stamen 1.

Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan.

 

19c. var. bistaminifera Tang et Wang in Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 11: 227. 1961.

异五棱飘拂草（变种）  yi wu leng piao fu cao (bian zhong)

Spikelets larger, 3-5 mm; stamens 2. Achenes slightly larger.

Guangdong, Guizhou.

 

19d. var. crassa C. B. Clarke in Hooker f. Fl. Brit. Ind. 6: 644. 1894. (???)

 

20. Fimbristylis chingmaiensis S. M. Huang in Fl. Hainan. 4: 536. 1977.

澄迈飘拂草  cheng mai piao fu cao

    Culms tufted without rhizome, slim, 300-600 x 1-1.2 mm, quinquangular, smooth, glabrous, base with 1-3 bladeless sheaths. Leaves basal, linear, shorter than culms, ca. 2 mm wide, acute, margins involute, mid-vein distinct; sheaths up to 13 cm, pale brown, margins membranous; ligule a fringe of short hairs. Bracts 5-7, leafy, ca. 3 cm, acuminate; anthelae compound, 3-5 cm; rays 5-7, unequal, up to 3.5 cm, quinquangular, slender; spekelets solitary, ovate or oblong-ovate, 2-2.5 x 1-1.2 mm, acute, 7-9-flowered; glumes 7-11, spiral, membranous, ovate or broadly ovate, ca. 1.5 x 1-1.2 mm, keeled abaxially, mid-vein distinct and yellowish green, each side of mid-vein dark bown, other parts pale castaneous, acute or mucronate, upper margins hyaline; stamens 3, anthers oblong, ca. 0.5 mm; style trigonous, not ciliate, base inflated, stigmas 3. Achenes broadly obovate, obtusely trigonous, ca. 0.8 mm, with extremely indistinct transverse oblong reticulation, without verrucae, white or pale brown, shortly stipitate. Fl. Autumn.

Deserted rice fields. Hainan (Chengmai).

 

21. Fimbristylis diphylloides Makino in Makino et Nemoto, Fl. Jap. 1389. 1925, nom. Seminudum (???).

拟二叶飘拂草  ni er ye piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis brevicollis Kükenthal.

Rhizome absent or very short. Culms tufted, thin, flatly 4-angled, striate, 15-50 cm, bearing 1-2 bladeless sheaths at base, sheaths cylindrical, 2.5-6.5 cm, mouth obliquely truncate, acute, covered with fibriform old sheaths; leaves shorter than or nearly equaling to culms, flat, acute at apex, finely toothed at margins, 1.2-2.2 mm wide; sheaths membranous and rusty-brown adaxially, mouth obliquely split, without ligule. Bracts 4-6, much shorter than inflorescence, setaceous, dilated at base, finely serrulate on margins; anthelae simple or nearly compound, 1.5-6 x 2-6 cm; rays 4-8, scabrid, 0.6-4 cm; spikelets solitary, obovate or oblong-obovate, obtuse or nearly acute, 2.5-7.5 x 1.5-2.5(-3) mm, densely many-flowered; glumes broadly ovate or oblong-ovate, membranous, extremely obtuse at apex, margins hyaline, 3-veined abaxially, veins green and slightly keeled; stamens 2, anthers oblong, obtuse, 0.8 mm, about 1/2 length of filaments; style not ciliate, base slightly inflated, stigmas 2-3, slightly longer than or nearly equaling style. Achenes broadly obovate, trigonous or biconvex, ca. 1 mm, brown, with sparse verrucae and transversely oblong reticulation.

 

1a. Glumes broadly ovate, brown or reddish brown, ca. 2 mm ----------------- 21a. var. diphylloides

1b. Glumes oblong-ovate, straw yellow, longer ------------------------------------- 21b. var. straminea

 

21a. var. diphylloides

拟二叶飘拂草（原变种）  ni er ye piao fu cao (yuan bian zhong)

Glumes broadly ovate, brown or reddish brown, ca. 2 mm. Fl. and Fr. Jun-Sept.

In rice fields, streamsides, wet places in valley, ponds. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea].

 

21b. var. straminea Tang et Wang in Fl. Reipub. Popul. Sin. 11: 227. 1961.

黄鳞二叶飘拂草（变种）  huang lin er ye piao fu cao (bian zhong)

Glumes oblong-ovate, straw-yellow, longer.

Jiangxi (Lushan ).

 

22. Fimbristylis globulosa (Retzius) Kunth, Enum. Pl. 2: 231. 1837.

拟二叶叶飘拂草  ni er ye piao fu cao

    Scirpus globulosum Retzius, Observ. 6: 19.1791; Fimbristylis torresiana Gaudichaud- Beaupré; Fimbristylis globulosa (Retzius) Kunth var. torresiana (Gaudichaud-Beaupré) C. B. Clarke.

Rhizome short. Culms tufted, 17-75 cm, flatly and obtusely trigonous, striate, base bearing 2-3 bladeless sheaths, sheaths cylindrical, 2-19 cm, margins membranous and brown adaxially, mouth obliquely split. The sterile radical shoots with bladed leaves; leaves shorter than culms, 1-3 mm wide, flat, margines slightly involute, finely serrulated on upper margins; sheaths membranous and rusty-brown adaxially, mouth obliquely split, ligule reduced to a circle of hairs. Bracts 3, leaf-like, lanceolate, much shorter than inflorescence, 8-11 mm, margins serrulate, membranous and brown on upper part; anthelae simple or nearly compound, 1.5-4 x 1.3-4 cm; rays 3-8, compressed, 7-25 mm; spikelets solitary, ovate, globose-elliptic or elliptic, obtuse or rounded, 3.5-6 mm, many-flowered; glumes densely spiral, ovate or nearly elliptic, membranous, lowest 2-3 empty, keeled, mucronate, flowering glumes rounded, not mucronate, ca. 2 mm, pale brown or brown, margins hyaline, 3-veined abaxially, reddish brown along mid-vein; stamens 3, anthers short, linear; style long, flatly trigonous, not ciliate, base inflated, stigmas 3, rarely 2, flat, with papillae. Achenes obovate or globose-obovate, trigonous or sometimes slightly compressed, ca. 1 mm, yellow, sessile, with transverse oblong reticulation and sparse verrucae.

 

1a. Culms taller, 30-75 cm; leaves 2.5-3 mm wide; glumes brown --------------- 22a. var. globulosa

1b. Culms shorter, 17-40 cm; leaves ca. 1 mm wide; glumes pale brown ------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22b. var. austrojaponica

 

22a. var. globulosa

球穗飘拂草（原变种）  qiu sui piao fu cao (yuan bian zhong)

Culms taller, 30-75 cm. Leaves 2.5-3 mm wide. Glumes brown. Fl. and Fr. Aug-Oct.

In marshes or shallow water; ca. 800 m. Guangdong, Hainan, Sichuan, Yunnan [India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam].

 

22b. var. austrojaponica Ohwi in Mem. Coll. Sci. Kyoto Imp. Univ. Ser. B. 18: 71. 1944.

两广球穗飘拂草（变种）  liang guang qiu sui piao fu cao (bian zhong)

Culms shorter and thinner, 17-40 cm, 1-1.5 mm in diameter above base. Leaves if present ca. 1 mm wide. Glumes pale brown. Fl. and Fr. Aug-Oct.

In marshes or shallow water. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi [Japan (Ryukyu)].

There seem no practical differences between the two varieties. 合并？？？

 

23. Fimbrystylis umbellaris (Lamark) Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 291. 1805.

伞形飘拂草  san xing piao fu cao (Fl. Taiwan.)

Scirpus umbellaris Lamark, Tab. Encycl. Meth. Bot. 1: 141. 1791.

Perennial with short, horizontal rhizome, clothed with brownish glumes; culms densely tufted, obtusely trigonous, 20-90 cm by 1-5 mm, smooth, glabrous, light green, with 2 or 3 bladeless sheaths at base. Leaves cauline reduced to bladeless sheaths, those of sterile shoot usually short-bladed; sheaths cylindrical, 2-18 cm long, obliquely truncate; blade linear when well-developed, 70-250 x 1.5-2 mm; ligule absent. Inflorescence simple to compound, 2-10 x 1.5-7 cm; bracts 2-3, narrowly lanceolate, margins scabrid, the longest 0.5-1 cm long; primary rays 2-10, unequal, 1-5 cm long. Spikelets 3-40, solitary, broadly ovate to broadly elliptic, 3-8 x 3-4 mm, obtuse, terete, densely many-flowered. Glumes numerous, spiral, ovate to ovate-elliptic, 1.8-2.7 x 1-1.5 mm, obtuse to mucronate at apex, membranous, yellow- or rusty-brown, scarcely keeled, 3-nerved in center. Stamens 2-3; anthers c 0.5 mm long. Style triquetrous or trifid, glabrous, dilated at base; stigmas 3, rarely 2. Achenes obovate or obovate-orbicular, 0.8-1 by 0.5-0.7 mm, shortly stipitate, maturing milky-yellow, obscurely cancellated with transversely oblong cells, rarely sparsely verruculose.

Marshy places, rice fields and wet grasslands. S China, Taiwan [India, Indochina, Japan, Malesia, Micronesia, Polynesia]. Specimens unseen, description adopted from Fl. Thailand.

 

24. Fimbristylis dichotoma (Linnaeus) Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 287. 1806.

两歧飘拂草  liang qi piao fu cao

    Scirpus dichotomus Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. ed. 1. 50. 1753; Scirpus annuus Allioni; Scirpus diphyllus Retzius; Fimbristylis annua (Allioni) Roemer; Fimbristylis diphylla (Retzius) Vahl; Fimbristylis tikushiensis Hayata.

Culms tufted, 5-50 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Leaves linear or setaceous, slightly shorter to longer than culms, pubescent or glabrescent, acute or obtuse at apex; sheaths coriaceous, nearly truncate at apex, membranous part broad, pale brown. Bracts 3-4, leaf-like, usually 1-2 bracts longer than inflorescence, glabrous or hairy; anthelae compound, rarely simple, loose or compact, 5-9 x 3-6 cm; spikelets solitory, ovate, elliptic or oblong, 4-12 x 2.5 mm, many-flowered; glumes ovate, oblong-ovate or oblong, 2-2.5 mm, brown, shining, 3-5-veined, mid-vein extending into mucro; stamens 1-2, filaments short; style compressed, longer than stamen, ciliate at upper part, stigmas 2. Achenes broadly obovate, biconvex, ca. 1 mm, with 7-9 obvious vertical ribs, reiculation nearly transverse oblong, without verrucae, with brown stipes.

 

1a. Spikelets (8-)9-14 mm; floral glumes 3.8-4.2 mm; achenes obovate, orbicular to somewhat ob-deltoid, obtuse to subtruncate at apex, 1.2-1.3 mm, cancellated with 15-24 vertical rows of transeversely oblong-rectangular epidermal cells -------------------------- 24b. subsp. podocarpa

1b. Spikelets 4.5-8.5 mm; floral glumes 2.2-3 mm; achenes obovate to broadly so, rounded or obtuse at apex, 0.6-1.2 mm, cancellated with 5-11 vertical rows of transeversely oblong epidermal cells ------------------------------------------------------------------ 24a. subsp. dichotoma

2a. All or at least most spikelets clustered in small groups, 5.7-7 mm; when fruiting styles included in its subtending glume exposing only the stigmas -------- 24a-a. var. dichotoma

2b. Spikelets single, 7.5-8.5 mm; when fruiting styles well elongated exposing over the subtending glume  ------------------------------------------------------ 24a-b. var. tikushiensis

 

24a. subsp. dichotoma

两歧飘拂草（原亚种）  liang qi piao fu cao (yuan ya zhong)

 

24a-a. var. dichotoma

两歧飘拂草（原变种）  liang qi piao fu cao (yuan bian zhong)

Culms taller, 15-50 cm. Leaves linear, slightly shorter than or equaling to culms, 1-2.5 mm wide. Anthelae compound, rarely simple. Fl. and Fr. Jul-Sept.

Rice fields or open grasslands. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoniang, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Africa, Australia, Indochina, India].

 

24a-b. var. tikushiensis (Hayata) T. Koyama in J. Jap. Bot. 63(3): 91. 1988.

XX飘拂草（变型）  XX piao fu cao (bian xing)

Fimbristylis tikushiensis Hayata, Icon. Pl. Formos. 6: 113. 1916.

Fimbristylis dichotoma (Linn.) Vahl form. depauperata (C. B. Clarke) Ohwi.

Fimbristylis diphylla (Retz.) Vahl.

Fimbristylis diphylla (Retz.) Vahl var. depauperata C. B. Clarke.

Every parts of plant extremely tenuous. Culms 5-17. Leaves setaceous, sometimes longer than culms. Inflorescence with 1-3 spikelets.

Shallow water in mashes. Hebei, Hubei, Hunan, Liaoning [India, Japan].

An assumingly annual form of this variety has been called as var./form. annua by a number of authors, and as in the Chinese version of the Flora of China. We are not certain if this annual form constitute a real taxon. It may possibly be the fruiting plant of the first-year seedling. It appears in northern part of the geographic area of var. tikushiensis (i.e. North China and Japan) where it cannot be survive through the winter. In southern area it may become biennial or short-lived perennial developing a short rhizome and such condition appears to the var. tikushiensis. For this reason, the so-called var./form. annua is here included in var. tikushiensis. For nomenclature of F. annua of Asian authors, see T. Koyama in J. Jap. Bot. 63(3): 86-95, pl. I-III. 1988.

 

24b. subsp. podocarpa (Nees & Meyen ex Nees) T. Koyama in Micronesica 1: 87. 1964.

XX飘拂草（变型）  XX piao fu cao (bian xing)

    Fimbristylis podocarpa Nees & Meyen ex Nees in Wight, contrib. Bot. Ind. 98.1834.

Every part of plant tenuous. Culms 5-25. Leaves narrowly linear, shorter than culms, 0.5-2 mm wide. Anthelae simple, spikelets fewer, often 1-7.

Farmlands or Shallow water. Guizhou, Hebei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Shandong, Yunnan.

 

25. Fimbristylis shimadana Ohwi in Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 5: 184. 1936.

白穗飘拂草  bai sui piao fu cao

Culms tufted, without conspicuous rhizome, 20-40 cm, angular, smooth, scabrid below. Leaf blades linear, equal to slightly shorter than culms, flattish with weakly incurved margins, herbaceous, glabrous to sparingly pilose, smooth except on scabrid upper margins; sheaths 2-5 cm long, ventral side membranous and dark straw-colored, obliquely truncate; ligule a fringe of short hairs. Inflorescence simple to compound, 3-4 x 2.5-3 cm, loose; bracts 3-4, the lowest leafy, subequal to inflorescence; primary rays 1-3, flattened, 2-4 cm. Spikelets many per inflorescence, ovate to oblong-ovate, 5-10 x 2.2-2.5 mm, acute, terete, densely many-flowered, light rusty-brown, weakly shiny. Glumes many per spikelet, broadly ovate, ca. 2 mm, obtuse, membranous pale and tinged with rusty-brown, 3-nerved with a lateral pair not reaching apex. Anthers ca. 0.3 mm long. Style flat, ciliate on upper margins, slightly dilated at base; stigmas 2. Achenes broadly ovate, ca. 1 mm, biconvex, shortly stipitate, brownish, sparsely verruculose, finely cancellated with several rows of transversely oblong cells.

Endemic to Taiwan. Specimen not seen, description adoped from Fl. Taiwan.

 

26. Fimbristylis dichotomoides Tang et Wang in Fl. Reipubl. Popul. Sin. 11: 228. 1961. (=F. tomentosa? Or =F. dichotoma subsp. podocarpa?)

拟两歧飘拂草  ni liang qi piao fu cao

Culms tufted, 20-100 cm, pilose. Leaves 2/3 length of culms, 2 mm wide, acute, pilose on both surfaces. Bracts 2-3, leafy, usually shorter than inflorescence, pilose; anthelae compound or decompound, with many rays; spikelets solitary, oblong-ovate or ovate, 7-12 x 2.5-3 mm, lowest 1-3 glumes empty; flowered glumes oblong-elliptic, pale brown, ca. 3 mm, 3-7-veined, mid-vein extending into a mucro; stamens 3; style compressed, ciliate on upper part, base slightly broader, stigmas 2. Achenes broadly obovate, biconvex, ca. 1mm, milky, with short brown stipes, surface with hexagonal reticulation, fine vertical ribs and verrucae, but sometimes not very distinct. Fl. and Fr. Jul.

Grasslands on slopes. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Jiangxi.

 

27. Fimbristylis longispica Steudel, Synops. 2: 118. 1855.

长穗飘拂草  chang sui piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis dietrichseni Boeckeler.

Rhizomes short; culms tufted, 25-60 cm. Leaves shorter than culms, nearly glabrous, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, margins often involute, obtuse at apex. Bracts 2-3, leafy, the lowest one usually longer than inflorescence, apex obtuse; anthelae compound, decompound or simple, with 3-6 rays; spikelets solitary, narrowly oblong, oblong or oblong-ovate or ovate, 6-20 mm, apex acute or obtuse at apex; glumes broadly ovate, boat-shaped, ca. 3 mm, with 3-5 brown or pale brown veins, glabrous, mucronate; stamens 3; style slightly longer than achene, ciliate on upper part, base slightly broader, stigmas 2. Achenes globose-obovate, biconvex, 1.2-1.5 mm, pale brown to brown, sessile, with hexagonal reticulation, without vertical ribs and verrucae . Fl. and Fr. Aug-Sept.

Wet places on seashore or hill foot. Fujian, Guangxi, Heilongjiang. Jiangsu, Jilin, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Zhejiang [Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar (?), Vietnam].

 

28. Fimbristylis rigidula Nees in Wight, Contrib. Bot. Ind. 99. 1834.

结壮飘拂草  jie zhuang piao fu cao

Rhizomes thick and short, woody, diageotropic; culms sparsely tufted, 15-50 cm, flatly cylindrical, striate, thicker at base, often covered with old sheaths. Leaves shorter than culms, 2-3 mm wide, flat, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces, grayish green. Bracts 3-5, leafy, shorter than and rarely equaling inflorescence; anthelae compound, rarely simple; rays 3-6 unequal, the longest up to 3 cm; spikelets solitary, ovate or elliptic, 5-10 x 3-4 mm, acute or obtuse at apex, many-flowered; glumes densely arranged, ovate or broadly ovate, ca. 4 mm, obtuse, mucronate, reddish brown, with several veins abaxially, the basal 2 glumes empty, smaller, mucro a little longer; stamens 3, anthers linear, ca. 1.5 mm; style long and compressed, ciliate on upper part, base slightly broader, stigmas 2. Achenes broadly obovate or nearly elliptic, 1.2-1.5 mm, with fine hexagonal reticulation . Fl. and Fr. Apr-Jun.

Slopes, roadsides, grasslands, forests; 300-2600 m. Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [India, Myanmar, Philippines].

 

29. Fimbristylis subinclinata T. Koyama, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 80: 353. 1967.

知本飘拂草  zhi ben piao fu cao

Perennial, tufted with short, sometimes subglobose rhizome. Leaves clustered at base of culms; blades linear, 50-150 x 1-2.5 mm, glaucous, mucronate; sheaths brownish, ciliate at orifice; ligule a fringe of short hairs. Inflorescence compound, inclined to nodding, 3-7 cm, bearing 4-23 spikelets; involucral bracts 1-2, the lowest 1.5-4 cm, much shorter than inflorescence; primary rays 3-6, 1.5-5 cm. Spikelets many per inflorescence, ovoid to ovoid-ellipsoid, terete, 8-12 x 3-4 mm, yellowish brown. Glumes ovate to broadly elliptic, 2-3.2 x 1.7-2 mm, thinly chartaceous, yellowish brown, brown-striate, margins hyaline, costa 1- or obscurely 3-nerved ending in a mucro at acute apex of glume. Anthers ca. 1.3 mm. Style flat, liguliform, densely fimbriate on upper margins; stigmas 2. Achenss orbicular-obovate, ca. 3 x 3 mm, lenticular, rounded to subtruncate, maturing brownish, weakly cancellate with ca. 20 rows of transversely oblong-hexagonal epidermal cells.

Dry sandy grasslands along rivers at the eastrn part of Taiwan. Taiwan (endemic).

 

30. Fimbristylis stolonifera C. B. Clarke in Hook. f. Fl. Brit. Bot. Ind. 6: 637. 1893.

匍匐茎飘拂草  pu fu jing piao fu cao

Stoloniferous. Culms 30-70 cm. Leaves linear, hairy on both surfaces, 1/3 the length of culms, 1.5-2 mm wide, flat, mid-vein prominent abaxially, apex acute. Leafy bracts 2-3, usually shorter than and rarely equaling inflorescence, apex acute; anthelae simple or nearly compound, with 3-6 rays; spikelets solitary, ovate or oblong-ovate, 7-13 x 3-4 mm, the lowest 1-2 glumes empty; flowering glumes oblong-ovate, castaneous, shining, 3-4 mm, with 5-7 veins abaxially, mid-vein extending into a mucro; stamens 3; style compressed, ciliated, base slightly inflated, stigmas 3. Achenes obovate, biconvex, white or pale brown, ca. 1.3 mm, with transversely oblong reticulation, vertical ribs not obvious, sometimes with verrucae . Fl. and Fr. Aug-Sept.

Ditch sides on slope. Guangdong, Guizhou, Hebei, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [E Himalayas, India, Nepal].

 

31. Fimbristylis ferruginea (Linnaeus) Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 291. 1806.

锈鳞飘拂草  xiu lin piao fu cao

    Scirpus ferrugineus Linnaeus Sp. Pl. ed. 1. 50. 1753; Fimbristylis aginkotensis Hayata.

Rhizome short, woody. Culms tufted, slender, 10-65 cm, flatly trigonous, smooth, grayish green, base thicker, with fewer leaves. Lower leaves with sheaths only, grayish brown, upper leaves often folded, linear, 1/3 the length of culms or shorter, ca. 1 mm wide, or bladeless. Bracts 2-3, shorter or slightly longer than inflorescence, nearly erect, base slightly broader; anthelae simple, rarely nearly compound, with few rays; rays short, less than 1 cm; spikelets solitary, oblong-ovate, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, acute, rarely obtuse, cylindrical, 7-15 x ca. 3 mm, densely many-flowered; glumes nearly membranous, ovate or elliptic, obtuse, apiculate, 3-4 mm, grayish brown, with dark brown lines on middle part, prominently keeled abaxially, upper part with grayish white hairs, margins ciliate; stamens 3, anthers linear; style long and flat, broader at base, stigmas 2. Achenes obovate or broadly obovate, flatly biconvex, 1-1.5 mm, nearly smooth, brown or blackish brown when mature, shortly stipitate.

 

1a. Leaves reduced to bladeless sheaths --------------------------------------------- 31c. var. anpinensis

1a. Leaves bearing blades.

   2a. Culms 20-65 cm, stiff; anthelae simple or nearly compound ------------- 31a. var. ferruginea

   2b. Culms 10-30 cm, soft; anthelae with 1-2, occasionally 3, very rarely 4-5 spikelets ----------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31b var. sieboldii

 

31a. var. ferruginea

锈鳞飘拂草（原变种）  xiu lin piao fu cao (yuan bian zhong)

    Culms thin and stiff, taller, 20-65 cm; anthelae simple or nearly compound, with fewer rays. Fl. and Fr. Jun-Aug.

Seashores or salty marshes. Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan [India, Japan, and other coastal areas all over the world].

 

31b. var. sieboldii (Miquel) Ohwi in Jour. Jap. Bot. 16: 576. 1938.

弱锈鳞飘拂草（变种）  ruo xiu lin piao fu cao (bian zhong)

Fimbristylis sieboldii Miquel, Cat. Mus. Bot. Lugd.-Bat. 118. 1870, nom. nud. (???)

Culms thin and soft, shorter, 10-30 cm; anthelae usually with 1-2, occasionally 3, very rarely 4-5 spikelets. Fl. and Fr. Jul-Sept.

Anhui, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea].

 

31c. var. anpinensis (Hayata) H. Y. Liu in Fl. Taiwan, 5: 269. 2000.

安平飘拂草  an ping piao fu cao

Fimbristylis anpinensis Hayata, Icon. Pl. Formosan. 6: 108. 1916; F. sieboldii Miquel subsp. anpinensis (Hayata) T. Koyama.

Culms 60 x 1-1.5 mm, densely tufted or closely arranged in a row along somewhat horizontal knotty rhizome. Leaves reduced to bladeless sheaths, uppermost sheaths bear setaceous short blade. Spikelets 10-17 x 3-4 mm. Achenes 1.2-1.5 mm.

Sunny wet places at seashores. Southern China, Taiwan [Japan (Ryukyus)]. Specimen unseen.

 

32. Fimbristylis fordii C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn, Soc. Bot. 34: 236. 1903.

罗浮飘拂草  luo fu piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis hookeriana Merrill, Philipp. Journ. Sci. 8: 132. 1918. (no record in KI)

Culms tufted without rhizome, 6-40 cm. Leaves nearly equaling culms, ciliate, 1-2.5 mm wide, mid-vein prominent abaxially, apex acute. Bracts 2-5, leafy, longer than inflorescence, sometimes up to 8 cm, apex acuminate or acute; anthelae simple, rarely compound, with few slender rays; spikelets solitary, narrowly lanceolate or linear, 7-17 x ca. 2 mm, lowest 1-2 glumes empty; flowering glumes oblong-ovate, 2.5-3.5 mm, grayish green or brown-hued, margins hyaline, with 3 or more veins abaxially, mucronate or awned, sometimes hairy; stamens 3; style long and compressed, ciliate on upper part, base slightly inflated, stigmas 2. Achenes obovate, biconvex, white, ca. 1 mm, verruculose . Fl. and Fr. Aug.

Rocks along stream, in grasses. Guangdong, Hunan.

 

33. Fimbristylis hookeriana Boeckeler in Linnaea. 37: 22. 1871.

金色飘拂草  jin se piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis chalarocephala Ohwi et T. Koyama.

Culms tufted without rhizome, 5-25 cm. Leaves slightly shorter than culms, glabrous, 1-2.5 mm wide, mid-vein prominent or not abaxially, apex acuminate. Leafy bracts 2-4, usually longer than inflorescence, ca. 1 mm wide, apex acuminate; anthelae simple or compound; spikelets digitately clustered or solitary, cylindrical, 10-15 x 2 mm; glumes oblong-ovate, ca. 5 mm, straw-yellow or greenish yellow, margins hyaline, with 3 veins abaxially, obtuse, mucronate; stamens usually 2; style very long, compressed, ciliate on upper part, base broader, stigmas 2. Achenes obovate, biconvex, white, ca. 1.2 mm, very shortly stipitate, with verrucae and transversely oblong reticulation. Fl. and Fr. Oct.

Rocks on slopes. Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Zhejiang [India, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam].

 

34. Fimbristylis schoenoides (Retzius) Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 286. 1806.

少穗飘拂草  shao sui piao fu cao

    Scirpus schoenoides Retzius, Observ. 5: 14. 1789; Fimbristylis kagiensis Hayata.

Rhizomes very short. Culms tufted, slender, 5-40 cm, slightly compressed, smooth, striate, with leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, glabrous, 0.5-1 mm wide, margins often involute, upper part ciliate. Bracts absent or 1-2, linear, up to 2.5 cm; anthelae reduced, with 1-2(-3) spikelets only; spikelets sessile or stipitate, broadly ovate, ovate or oblong-ovate, 5-12(-16) x 3-4 mm, many-flowered; glumes densely arranged, membranous, broadly ovate, rounded at apex, not mucronate or sometimes mid-vein extending into a mucro, ca. 3 mm, yellowish white with short brown lines, not keeled, with many veins abaxially; stamens 3, anthers linear; style long and compressed, ciliate above middle, base inflated, stigmas 2. Achenes globose-obovate or nearly globose, biconvex, yellowish white, ca. 1.5 mm (including short stipe), with hexagonal reticulation. Fl. Aug-Sept. Fr. Oct-Nov.

Lower wet places along streams, ditches, roads and rice fields; 300-800 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [N Australia, SE Asia].

 

35. Fimbristylis subbispicata Nees et Meyen in Nov. Act. Nat Cur. 29 (Suppl.1): 75. 1834. (=F. tristachya var. subspicata?)

双穗飘拂草  shuang sui piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis bispicata Nees (1836), non Nees et Meyen (1834); Fimbristylis gynophora C. B. Clarke; Fimbristylis crassipes Palla.

Rhizome absent. Culms tufted, slim, 7-60 cm, flatly trigonous, grayish green, smooth, striate, with few leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, ca. 1 mm wide, slightly stiff, flat, upper part ciliate, sometimes involute. Bracts absent or only 1, erect, linear, longer than inflorescence, 0.7-10 cm; spikelet usually single and terminal, rarely 2, ovate, oblong-ovate or oblong-lanceolate, cylindrical, 8-30 x 4-8 mm, many-flowered; glumes spiral, membranous, ovate, broadly ovate or nearly elliptic, obtuse at apex, mucronate, 5-7 mm, brown with short rusty-brown lines, not keeled, with many veins abaxially; stamens 3, anthers linear, 2-2.5 mm; style long and compressed, ciliate, base slightly inflated, stigmas 2. Achenes globose-obovate, flatly biconvex, brown, 1.5-1.7 mm, stipitate, with hexagonal reticulation, slightly shining. Fl. Jun-Aug. Fr. Sept-Oct.

Slopes, valley, marshes, streamsides, watersides, seashore, salty marshes; 300-1200 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Jiangsu, Jilin, Liaoning, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Taiwan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea].

 

36. Fimbristylis polytrichoides (Retzius) Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 248. 1806.

细叶飘拂草  xi ye piao fu cao

    Scirpus polytrichoides Retzius, Observ. 4: 11. 1786.

Rhizomes very short or absent, with many fibers. Culms densely tufted, slender, 5-25 cm, cylindrical, smooth, striate, with fewer leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, nearly Juncus-like, ca. 1 mm in diameter, smooth; sheaths short, yellowish brown, glabrous. Bract 1, 5-12 mm, or absent, needle-like, broader at lower part, margins membranous; spikelet single and terminal, elliptic or oblong, obtuse or round at apex, 5-8 x 3-3.5 mm, 10-many-flowered; glumes densely spiral, membranous, oblong, rounded, without or with very short hard mucro, ca. 3 mm, pale white, translucent, with short brown lines on median part, sometimes slightly yellowish brown laterally on upper part, not keeled, 1-veined; stamens 3, anthers short, linear; style long, slightly compressed, ciliate above middle part, base inflated, stigmas 2. Achenes obovate, biconvex, ca. 1 mm, grayish black, sparsely verruculose and with transversely oblong reticulation. Fl. and Fr. Mar-Sept.

Wet salty places by sea, rice fields. Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan [India, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka].

 

37. Fimbristylis squarrosa Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 289. 1806.

畦畔飘拂草  qi pan piao fu cao

Annual herb, without rhizome. Culms densely tufted, slim, short, 6-20 cm, compressed, with fewer leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, extremely thin, less than 1 mm wide, flat, pubescent on both surfaces, sheaths pale brown, densely pilose. Bracts 3-5, shorter or slightly longer than inflorescence, filiform; anthelae simple or nearly compound; rays few to 10+, up to 3 cm; spikelet solitary, ovate or lanceolate, 3-6 x 2-3 mm, 10-many-flowered; glumes spiral, membranous, oblong or oblong-ovate, yellowish brown, obtuse, 1.5-2 mm (including awn), with 3 veins abaxially, veins green and keeled, awns long, recurved, ca. 1/2 the length of glumes; stamen 1, anther oblong, apiculate; style long and compressed, ciliate on upper part, base inflated with long filiform pendent hairs, stigmas 2. Achenes obovate, biconvex, yellowish white, ca. 1 mm, shortly stipitate, almost smooth. Fl. Sept.

Guangdong, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Shandong, Taiwan, Yunnan, zhejiang [India, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Russia, S Europe to South Africa].

 

38. Fimbristylis makinoana Ohwi Journ. Jap. Bot. 14: 578. 1938. (=F. velata? Or =F. aestivalis var. esquarrosa?)

短尖飘拂草  duan jian piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis squarrosa Vahl var. esquarrosa Makino.

Culms densely tufted without rhizome, slim, usually short, 10-25 cm, flatly and obtusely trigonous, with fewer leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, extremely narrow, less than 1 mm wide, flat or sometimes folded, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces, sheaths pale brown, densely pubescent. Bracts 3-7, leafy, the lowest equaling to or slightly shorter than inflorescence, base broader, pubescent; anthelae compound or decompound, spreading; rays many to fewer, up to 2.5 cm, slim; spikelets solitary, lanceolate or oblong, acute, 3-7 x 1.2-2 mm, many-flowered; glumes spiral, membranous, oblong, yellowish brown, obtuse, 1.5-2 mm, with 1 mid-vein abaxially, vein slightly upheaving extending into short awn ca. 1/5 length of glumes, slightly recurved; stamen 1, anther linear, ca. 0.5 mm; style long, slightly compressed, sparsely ciliate, base inflated with white long filiform pendent hairs covering the top of achene, stigmas 2, with papillae. Achenes obovate, flatly biconvex, yellow, ca. 0.5 mm, shortly stipitate, almost smooth or with very indistinct hexagonal reticulation. Fl. Sept.

Waterside or wet places. Heilongjiang, Jiangsu [Japan, Korea].

 

39. Fimbristylis bisumbellata (Forsskål) Bubani, Dodecanth. 30. 1850.

复序飘拂草  fu xu piao fu cao

    Scirpus bisumbellata Forsskål, Fl. Aegypt. Arab. 15. 1775; Fimbristylis dichotoma (Linnaeus) Vahl, p. p.

Annual herb, without rhizome. Culms densely tufted, slim, 4-20 cm, flatly trigonous, smooth, with few leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, 0.7-1.5 mm wide, flat, ciliate at upper part, sometimes sparsely hairy abaxially; sheaths short, yellowish green, with rusty-brown flecks, white-pilose. Leafy bracts 2-5, nearly erect, lowest 1-2 longer than or equaling to inflorescence; anthelae compound or decompound, loose; rays 4-10 slim, up to 4 cm; spikelets solitary, oblong-ovate, ovate or oblong, acute, 2-7 x 1-1.8 mm, 10-20-flowered; glumes spiral, membranous, broadly ovate, brown, 1.2-2 mm, with 3-veined green keel abaxially; stamen 1-2, anther oblong-lanceolate; style long and compressed, ciliate, base inflated, stigmas 2. Achenes broadly obovate, biconvex, yellowish white, ca. 0.8 mm, very shortly stipitate, with transversely oblong reticulation. Fl. and Fr. Jul-Nov.

Along river, stream, sandy or marshy places, wet places on slope. Guangdong, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Taiwan, Sichuan, Yunnan [Africa, Australia, India, Japan].

 

40. Fimbristylis merrillii Kern, Blumea 8: 135, f. 6. 1955. really in China????

XX飘拂草  X X piao fu cao

Annual. Culms tufted, (50-)150-400 x 0.5-1 mm, trigonous, smooth, often puberulent below inflorescence. Leaves basal; blade linear, 25-60 x 1-2 mm, obtuse, flat, glabrescent ot pubescent on lower surface; sheath up to 6 cm, light brown, apex truncate; ligule a fringe of short hairs. Involucral bracts 1-3, the longest leaf-like or setaceous, (0.3-)0.6-1.5 cm, less than 1/2 as long as inflorescence. Inflorescence simple to compound, rarely a single spikelet, open, 2-6(-10) x 2-6 cm; primary branches 2-8, 1-5(-8) cm. Spikelets (1-)2-20 per inflorescence, solitary, ovoid to ovoid-cylindric, 3-6 x 1.5-2 mm, subobtuse to subacute, sides thinly chartaceous, shiny reddish brown, margins broadly hyaline, keel obtuse, 3-nerved, greenish. Stamens 1(-2); anther 0.3-0.5 mm. Stigmas 2. Nutlets broadly obovate, biconvex, 0.6-0.8(-0.9) x 0.5-0.6 mm, cream to pale brown, with 5(-9) rows of transeversely oblong epidermal cells.

S. China [Australia, Malaysia, Philippines]. Chinese specimens unseen.

 

41. Fimbristylis aestivalis (Retzius) Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 288. 1806.

夏飘拂草  xia piao fu cao

    Scirpus aestivalis Retzius, Observ. 4: 12. 1786.

Culms densely tufted without rhizome, slim, 3-25 cm, flatly trigonous, smooth, with few leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, 0.5-1 mm wide, filiform, flat, margins slightly involute, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces; sheaths short, brown, white-pilose. Bracts 3-5, shorter or longer than inflorescence, filiform, sparsely hairy; anthelae compound, loose; rays 3-7, slim, up to 3 cm; spikelets solitary, ovate, oblong-ovate or lanceolate, 2.5-6 x 1-1.5 mm, many-flowered; glumes spiral, membranous, ovate or oblong, mucronate, reddish brown, ca. 1 mm, with 3-veined green keel abaxially; stamen 1, anther lanceolate; style long and compressed, ciliate at upper part, base inflated, stigmas 2, short. Achenes obovate, biconvex, yellow, ca. 0.6 mm, nearly sessile, almost smooth, sometimes with very indistinct hexagonal reticulation. Fl. May-Aug.

Grasslands, marshy places, rice fields; 1800-2200 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Australia, India, Japan, Nepal].

 

42. Fimbristylis gracilenta Hance in Journ. Bot. Lond. 6: 89. 1868.

纤细飘拂草  xian xi piao fu cao

Annual herb without rhizome. Culms tufted, slim, 3-25 cm, flatly trigonous, striate, glabrous, with fewer leaves at base. Leaves shorter than culms, ca. 1 mm wide, flat, sometimes slightly involute-margined, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces; sheaths brown, densely pubescent. Bracts 5-6, shorter than inflorescence, needle-like, pubescent; anthelae simple, occasionally compound; rays 5-8, slim, up to 5 cm, densely pubescent; spikelet solitary, oblong, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 4-12 x 1.5-2 mm, with several to 10+ flowers; glumes spiral, membranous, ovate-lanceolate, ca. 2 mm, pale brown, 3-veined abaxially, mid-vein keeled and extending into mucro; stamens 2, anthers linear-oblong, dark red; style long and compressed, ciliate at upper part, base inflated, stigmas 2, short, with papillae. Achenes obovate, biconvex, brown, ca. 1 mm, shortly stipitate, almost smooth, with indistinct hexagonal reticulation. Fl. Jun-Jul.

Open places. Guangdong [Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam].

 

43. Fimbristylis tetragona R. Brown, Prodr. 226. 1810.

四棱飘拂草  si leng piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis cylindrocarpa Kunth.

Rhizome undeveloped. Culms densely tufted, (8-)18-50(-60) cm, tetragonous, smooth, with few leaf sheaths at base. Sheaths obliquely truncate, with brown membranous margins, without blades and bracts. Spikelets solitary, terminal, ovate or elliptic, obtuse or rounded, 5-10 x 3-6 mm, many-flowered; glumes densely spiral, membranous, oblong, sometimes narrower at base, not mucronate, 3.5-5 mm, pale brownish yellow, not keeled abaxially, many-veined, middle 3 veins thicker; stamens 3, anthers linear, 1.2-1.5 mm; style long and compressed, sparsely ciliate, base gradually broader and nearly as wide as achene, stigmas 2-3. Achenes narrowly oblong, biconvex, pale brown, 2.5 mm, long-stipitate, surface with obvious hexagonal reticulation, shining. Fl. and Fr. Sept-Oct.

Marshes. Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan [Australia, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam].

 

44. Fimbristylis pauciflora R. Brown, Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. 225. 1810.

海南飘拂草  hai nan piao fu cao

Fimbristylis hainanensis Tang et Wang in Fl. Reipub. Popul. Sin. 11: 228. 1961.

Rhizome undeveloped. Culms densely tufted, slim, short, 5-18 cm, flatly cylindrical, glabrous, smooth, with fewer leaf sheaths at base. Sheaths cylindrical, brown, mouth obliquely truncate, apex attenuate, margins membranous, without blades. Bracts absent; spikelets solitary, terminal, narrowly oblong or clavate-oblong, 3.5-4.5 x 1-1.5 mm, few-flowered, lowest glume empty; glumes oblong or oblong-ovate, obtuse, not mucronate, 3-3.2 mm, pale with rusty short lines, green along mid-vein abaxially, 7-9-veined; stamens 3, anthers linear; style long and compressed, sparsely ciliate, base slightly broader, stigmas 3, with sparse papillae. Achenes obovate, nearly trigonous, ca. 0.8 mm, white, with sparse verrucae and nearly hexagonal reticulation. Fl. and Fr. Aug-Sept.

Wet places by pond. Hainan.

 

45. Fimbristylis nutans (Retzius) Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 285. 1806.

垂穗飘拂草  chui sui piao fu cao

    Scirpus nutans Retzius, Observ. 4: 12. 1786.

Rhizome extremely short or absent. Culms densely tufted, stiff, 15-85 cm, nearly cylindric, striate, glabrous, smooth, with leaf sheaths at base. Leaf blade absent, lower sheaths glume-like, upper ones cylindric, apex obliquely truncate, margins membranous, brown. Bract 1, glume-like, ovate, ca. 2-4.5 mm, mucronate; inflorescence reduced to 1 terminal spikelet, slightly nutant, ovate, elliptic or oblong-ovate, 5-15 x 2-5 mm, 10-many-flowered; glumes rather densely spiral, chartaceous, broadly ovate or nearly elliptic, apex round, mucronate, 3-5 mm, brown with rusty-brown short lines, faintly many-veined abaxially; stamens 3, anthers linear; style long and compressed, sparsely ciliate at upper part, base slightly inflated, stigmas 2, short. Achenes obovate, flatly biconvex, sometimes nearly flat-convex, 1.2-1.5 mm, white, with very short brown stipes, surface with transverse waving reticulation, margins with verrucae. Fl. and fr. Jul-Aug.

Wet places. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hunan, Taiwan [Australia, India, Kalimantan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam].

 

46. Fimbristylis acuminata Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 285. 1806.

披针穗飘拂草  pi zhen sui piao fu cao

Rhizome absent. Culms sparsely tufted, thin, 6-35 cm, slightly compressed, striate, glabrous, smooth, with bladeless sheaths at base. Lower sheaths glume-like, upper ones cylindrical, apex obliquely truncate. Bract absent; inflorescence reduced to 1 terminal spikelet, ovate or lanceolate, 5-10 x 2-3 mm, with several to 10+ flowers; glumes loosely spiral, thickly chartaceous, broadly ovate or elliptic, obtuse, mucronate, 2.8-4 mm, greenish white, sometimes with brown speckles laterally, with faintly several-veined green keel abaxially; stamens 2, anthers linear; style long and compressed, sparsely ciliate, base inflated, stigmas 2, straight. Achenes globose-obovate, biconvex, ca. 1.5 mm, with short brown stipes, surface with transverse waving reticulation, without verrucae. Fl. and Fr. Jul-Aug.

Guangdong [India].

 

47. Fimbristylis nigrobrunnea Thwaites, Enum. Pl. Zeyl. 434. 1864.

褐鳞飘拂草  he lin piao fu cao

    Fimbristylis pycnostachya Hance

Rhizome short. Culms tufted, slightly scabrid, 10-45 cm, with radical leaves at base. Leaves linear, 1/4-1/3 length of culms, 1-2.5 mm wide, acute, apiculate or not, sheaths coriaceous, obliquely split at apex, mouth membranous and pale brown. Bracts 2-4, leafy, 2-13 mm, attenuate; anthelae simple, rarely compound; rays few, slender, 0.5-3 cm; spikelets solitary, oblong or ovate, 6-8 x ca. 2.5 mm, many-flowered, sometimes lower glumes somewhat distichous; glumes chartaceous, broadly ovate, boat-shaped, mucronate, 2-3 mm, brown, without brown spots, margins hyaline, with 1 mid-vein; stamens 3, anthers linear-oblong, 1-1.5 mm; ovary narrowly oblong, style trigonous, glabrous, base inflated, stigmas 3. Achenes obovate, flatly trigonous, white, 1-1.2 mm, surface with verrucae and nearly hexagonal reticulation. Fl. and fr. Apr-Jul.

Mashes, along river, rocks in valley. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan [India].

 

48. Fimbristylis eragrostis (Nees) Hance in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. 13: 132. 1873.

知风飘拂草  zhi feng piao fu cao

    Albildgaardia eragrostis Nees in Wight, Contrib. Bot. Ind. 95. 1834.

Rhizome absent. Culms tufted, 20-50 cm, with fewer radical leaves at base. Leaves more or less curved, slightly falcate, glabrous, 100-200 x 1-2.5 mm, acute, apiculate, sheaths coriaceous, obliquely split at apex, mouth margins membranous and pale brown. Bracts nearly leafy, 2-4, 3-15 mm, attenuate; bractlets pale brown, ca. 2-3 mm; anthelae compound, with 2-many rays; spikelets solitory, oblong, oblong-ovate or ovate, 6-10 x ca. 2-3 mm, many-flowered, lowest 1-2 glumes empty; flowering glumes broadly ovate or nearly triangular, 2.5-3.5 mm, yellowish brown, shining, with 1 mid-vein, keeled abaxially, mucronate; stamens 3; ovary cylindrical, striate, white, style trigonous, base inflated, brown, stigmas 3. Achenes broadly obovate, trigonous, white, 0.7-0.8 mm, white or slightly brown-hued, verruculose. Fl. and fr. Jun-Sept.

Grasslands. Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan.

 

49. Fimbristylis disticha Boeckeler in Linnaea 38: 393. 1874.

红鳞飘拂草  hong lin piao fu cao

Fimbristylis rufoglumosa Tang et Wang in Fl. Reipub. Popul. Sin. 11: 228. 1961, syn. nov. (?).

Culms tufted, 10-30 cm. Leaves linear, slightly curved, 1/4-1/3 the length of culms, 1-2.5 mm wide, scabrous with appressed short pubescence on both surfaces, or glabrescent, acute, sheaths obliquely split at apex, mouth margins membranous and pale brown. Bracts leafy, 3-4, the lowest 3x longer than glumes, up to 28 mm, attenuate; anthelae compound, with many rays; spikelets solitary, ovate or oblong-ovate, slightly compressed, 3-6 x ca. 1.5-2.5 mm, lowest 1-2 glumes empty; glumes broadly ovate, glabrous, ca. 2.5 mm, reddish brown, not shining, mucronate, with 1 mid-vein keeled abaxially; stamens 3; style trigonous, base inflated, not ciliate, stigmas 3. Achenes obovate, trigonous, white, ca. 0.7 mm, verruculose. Fl. and fr. Aug-Sept.

Grasslands, slopes. Guangdong, Guangxi.

 

50. Fimbristylis nanningensis Tang et Wang in Fl. Reipub. Popul. Sin. 11: 229. 1961.

南宁飘拂草  nan ning piao fu cao

Culms tufted, slim, 18-55 cm, with many radical leaves. Leaves narrowly linear, slim, ca. 1 mm wide, scabrous with appressed short pubescence on both surfaces, usually shorter than and rarely equaling culms, attenuate. Bracts leafy, much longer than inflorescence, less than 1 mm wide, scabrous with appressed pubescence, acuminate; anthelae compound, slightly loose, with manyrays and spikelets; rays glabrous, slender; spikelet solitary, lanceolate, slightly compressed, ca. 5 x 1 mm, only 2-3-flowered; glumes ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, acuminate, ca. 3 mm, membranous, densely gland-dotted, 2-3-veined, mid-vein slightly keeled; stamens 3; ovary cylindrical, slightly trigonous, white; style very long, 6-8 x longer than ovary, base slightly inflated, stigmas 3, often curly. Fl. and Fr. Jul.

Grasslands, slopes. Guangxi.

This species is very closely related to F. cinnamometorum, from which it differs in its hairy leaf surfaces, lack of ligule and its lowest bracts much surpassing the inflorescence. In F. cinnamometarum, leaves are not hairy, ligules are of a fringe of hairs, and the lowest bracts are shorter than the inflorescence.

 

51. Fimbristylis cinnamometorum (Vahl) Kunth, Enum. Pl. 2: 229. 1837.

Scirpus cinnamometorum Vahl, Enum. Pl. 2: 278. 1806; Fimbristylis cyperoides R. Brown.

Perennial, rarely annual. Rhizome somewhat creeping. Culms moderately tufted to loose, (100-)200-500 x 0.5-1 mm, trigonous, smooth. Leaves basal, 2-ranked; blades filiform, 40-220 x 0.3-0.6 mm, subacute, canaliculated, margins inrolled; sheaths 1.5-5 cm long, obliquely truncate, ciliate at apex; ligule a fringe of short white hairs. Involucral bracts 2-3, leaf-like, the longest 1-5 cm, shorter than inflorescence. Inflorescence compound to decompound, open, 2-7 x 2-7 cm; primary rays 3-6, 0.8-5 cm long. Spikelets 10-90 per inflorescence, solitary, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, flattened, 4-8 x 1.2-1.5 mm, acuminate, sides membranous, light brown to deep reddish brown, densely gland-dotted, keel acute, 1-3-nerved. Stamens 3; anthers 1.5-2 mm. Stigmas 3. Achenes narrowly obovoid or obovoid-oblong, trigonous to nearly subterete, 0.8-1 x 0.3-0.5 mm, transversely ridged and cancellated with 4-5 rows of linear epidermal cells.

Swampy grasslands and wet floors of savannah forests; up to 1300 m. S. China [India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, through Indo-China to S. China and eastwards to Malesia and N. Australia]. Chinese specimens unseen.

 

52 Fimbristylis fusca (Nees) Bentham, in Bentham et Hooker f. Gen. Pl. 3:1048. 1883.

暗褐飘拂草  an he piao fu cao

    Abildgaardia fusca Nees in Wight, Contrib. Bot. Ind. 95. 1834.

Rhizome absent. Culms tufted, 20-40 cm, with radical leaves. Leaves linear, 50-350 x 1-3 mm, hairy on both surfaces, acute. Bracts 2-4, leafy, 8-15 mm, hairy, base much broader, attenuate to apiculate apex; anthelae compound, with many hairy rays; spikelets solitary, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 6-10 mm, attenuate to apex, lowest 2-3 glumes empty; flowering glumes thickly chartaceous, ovate-lanceolate, 4-5 mm, apiculate, hairy, brown or nearly blackish brown, margins sometimes hyaline, with 1 mid-vein slightly keeled; stamens 3; style 4-5 mm, base inflated, stigmas 3. Achenes obovate, trigonous, almost sessile, pale brown or white, ca. 0.9 mm, verruculose.

 

1a. Leaves usually shorter than culms, 5-15 cm ------------------------------------------- 52a. var. fusca

1b. Leaves usually longer than rarely equaling to culms, 15-35 cm ----------- 52b. var. contoniensis

 

52a. var. fusca

暗褐飘拂草（原变种）  an he piao fu cao (yuan bian zhong)

Leaves usually shorter than culms, 50-150 x 1-3 mm. Fl. and Fr. Jun-Sept.

Mountain summit, grassy slopes, grasslands, farming fields; 100-230 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Yunnan [Himalayas, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam].

 

52b. var. contoniensis C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. 36: 237. 1903.

广州暗褐飘拂草（变种）  guang zhou an he piao fu cao (bian zhong)

Leaves usually longer than rarely equaling to culms, 15-35 cm.

?????(need to check the type)

 

53. Fimbristylis fimbristyloides (F. Mueller) Druce, Rep. Bot. Exch. Club Br. Isles 1916: 623. 1917.

    Abildgaadia fimbristyloides F. Mueller, Fragm. Phyt. Austr. 8: 273. 1874; Fimbrystylis nanofusca T. Tang & F. T. Wang.

矮飘拂草  ai piao fu cao

Culms tufted, 5-13 cm. Radical leaves linear, slightly curved, slightly more than 1/2 the length of culms, 1-1.5 mm wide, ciliate, acute at apex. Bracts 2+, leafy, 5-18 mm, less than 1 mm wide, acuminate, hispid; anthelae simple, rarely nearly compound; rays 1-3 cm, hairy; spikelets solitary, ovate or broadly ovate, slightly compressed, 4-5 x ca. 1.5 mm, lowest 1-3 glumes empty; glumes ovate, membranous, 2.5-3 mm, brown, not densely gland-dotted, hairy, mid-vein slightly keeled abaxially and ending in a mucro, sterile glumes shorter, with longer awns; stamens 3; ovary cylindrical, trigonous, white; style ca. 2 mm, base inflated, pale brown, stigmas 3. Achenes obovate, trigonous, pale yellow or nearly white, truncate at base, very shortly stipitate, surface with many verrucae. Fl. and Fr. Aug.

Slopes. Zhejiang.

 

54. Fimbristylis ovata (Burman f.) Kern in Blumea 15: 126. 1967.

独穗飘拂草  du sui piao fu cao

    Carex ovata Burman f., Fl. Ind. 194. 1768; Cyperus monostachyus Linnaeus, Mant. 2: 180.1771; Abildgaardia monostachya (Linnaeus) Vahl; Fimbristylis monostachya (Linnaeus) Hasskaol.

Rhizomes short. Culms tufted, slim, 15-35 cm. Leaves narrow, 1/2-2/3 the length of culms, 0.5-1 mm wide, acute at apex. Bracts 1-3, glume-like, 5-18 mm, with 2-3 mm awns, the lowest one sometimes leafy; spikelets solitary, terminal, ovate, elliptic or oblong-ovate, slightly compressed, 7-13 x ca. 5 mm, lower glumes distichous, upper ones spiral; glumes broadly ovate or ovate, 3-6 mm, yellowish green, shining, coriaceous, 3-veined abaxially, mid-vein prominent and extending into a mucro; stamens 3; style trigonous, base inflated, stigmas 3. Achenes obovate, trigonous, ca. 2 mm, shortly stipitate, surface with obvious verrucae. Fl. and Fr. Jun-Sept.

Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hunan, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan [Australia, India, Japan, Korea, Philippines and all over the warm areas in Asia].

 

55. Fimbristylis longistipitata T. Tang et F. T. Wang in Fl. Reipub. Popul. Sin. 11: 229. 1961.

长柄果飘拂草  chang bing guo piao fu cao

Culms tufted with rhizomes, slim, 15-30 cm. Leaves narrowly linear, ca. 1/2 or same length of culms, ca. 0.5 mm wide, acuminate at apex. Bracts 2-3, glume-like, 5-18 mm, with longer hairy awns; spikelet single, terminal, ovate or oblong-ovate, 8-13 x 4 mm; glumes broadly ovate or oblong-ovate, ca. 4 mm, yellowish green, with fine brown spots, shining, slightly keeled and 3-veined abaxially, mid-vein prominent, mucronate; stamens 3; style trigonous, base inflated, ciliate, stigmas 3. Achenes flatly globose, trigonous, very sparsely verruculose, ca. 1.5 mm, stipes long, ca. 0.8 mm.

Guangdong.

 

13. Actinoschoenus Benth.

in Hooker’s Icon. Pl. 14: 33, t. 1346. 1881.

星穗草属  xing sui cao shu

 

Tufted, shortly rhizomatous or stoloniferous perennials. Culms scapose. Leaves ligulate, blade very short. Inflorescence capitate with 2-many spikelets. Primary bracts small. Spikelets with 4-7 distichous, deciduous glumes of increasing length, 1-(2-)flowered, flower subtended by the penultimate large glume enclosed by the wings of the next glume. Rachilla internodes short, somewhat elongated between the flowers. Flowers bisexual. Bristles absent. Stamens 3. Style deeply 3-fid, style base distinct, thickened, deciduous. Achene obovate, trigonous, more or less 3-ribbed, soomth to slightly tuberculate.

Four species of scatterd occurence, Gabon, SE Zaire and Zambia, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, SE Asia, Philippines, New Caledonia, in open woodland on dry sandy soil. Two species in China.

 

1a. Spikelets 3-7(-12) lance-ovate; glumes reddish brown, thick chartaceous, upper half hairy; leaves bladed --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. A. yunnanensis

1b. Spikelets 1-2(-6) lancoelate; glumes brown, membranous, glabrous; leaves bladless ------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. A. chinensis

 

1. Actinoschoenus yunnanensis (C. B. Clarke) S. Y. Liang, S. R. Zhang et T. Koyama, comb. nov.

滇星穗草  dian xing sui cao

Fimbristylis yunnanensis C. B. Clarke in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. 36: 247. 1903.

Rhizomes creeping. Culms slim, 12-50 cm. Leaves 1/3-1/2 length of culms, 1-1.5 mm wide, sparsely hairy, acute at apex. Bracts 2-3, leafy or nearly setaceous, 5-27 mm, surpassing inflorescence, hairy; inflorescence capitate, 8-12 mm in diameter, with 3-7(-12) spikelets; spikelets ovate-lanceolate, 5-7 mm, with 7-8 glumes, glumes at lower part distichous, lowest 4-5 glumes empty; glumes ovate-lanceolate, boat-shaped, thickly chartaceous, reddish brown, upper part hairy; stamens 3; style trigonous, not ciliate, base inflated, stigmas 3. Achenes obovate, obtusely trigonous, 1/3-1/2 length of glume, white, reticulation not prominent. Fl. and fr. Jun.

Slopes. Yunnan [Thailand, Vietnam].

 

2. Actinoschoenus chinensis Bentham in Hooker f. Ic. Pl. 33. 1881.

华星穗草  hua xing sui cao

    Fimbristylis chinensis (Bentham) T. Tang et F. T. Wang in Fl. Reipub. Popul. Sin. 11: 106. 1961. Fimbristylis actinoschoenus C. B. Clarke var. chinensis C. B. Clarke.

Culms tufted, trigonous, slim, 15-40 cm, with 2 sheaths at base. Sheaths bladeless, brown, with upheaving ribs, mouth obliquely truncate, membranous, darker, attenuate to apex and caudate, the lower sheaths attenuate, but not caudate. Bracts subulate continuing dowb to the culms, usually shorter than inflorescence; spikelets 1-2(-6), clustered, lanceolate, 6-8 x 0.5-2 mm, with fewer flowers; glumes 5-7, lower ones distichous, lowest 3 glumes empty, upmost one with flower but sterile, semicircular, broadly ovate or oblong-ovate in shape upwards, 0.25-2 mm, brown, membranous, glabrous, 3-veined, mucronate; stamens 3; stigmas 3. Achenes unseen.

On rocks in woods. Guangdong, Hainan.