羽状穗砖子苗 yu zhuang sui zhuan zi miao

Cyperus pennatus Lamarck; Mariscus albescens Gaudichaud; M. javanicus (Houttuyn) Merrill & F. P. Metcalf; M. pennatus (Lamarck) Domin.

Perennials. Rhizomes short, thick, woody. Culms scattered, 30-105 cm tall, stout, obtusely 3-angled, papillose, basally with leaves, base swollen. Leaves longer than culm; sheath blackish brown; leaf blade 5-10 mm wide, leathery, base folded, apically gradually flattened, conspicuously transverse veined, midvein and margin spinulose. Involucral bracts 4-6, obliquely spreading, leaflike, much longer than inflorescence. Inflorescence a compound anthela; rays 6-10, obliquely spreading, mostly to 10 cm, papillose, each with 3-7 raylets. Spikes cylindric, 1.5-3 × 0.8-1.2 cm, with many spikelets. Spikelets slightly densely arranged, spreading to downward reflexed, narrowly oblong-ovoid, 4.5-7 × 1.8-2.5 mm, slightly turgid, 4-6-flowered; rachilla broadly winged. Glumes brownish to straw-colored and rusty brown striate, slightly densely imbricate, broadly ovate, ca. 3 mm, subleathery, concave, 7-9-veined, not keeled, margin white hyaline, apex acute and not mucronate. Stamens 3; anthers broadly linear. Style long; stigmas 3. Nutlet blackish brown, broadly ellipsoid to obovoid-ellipsoid, ca. 1/2 as long as subtending glume, 3-sided, with dense punctate processes. Fl. and fr. Jul-Sep.

Coastal sandy areas, salt marshes, water margins; near sea level. Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, Xisha Qundao [Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan (Ryukyu Islands), Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; N Australia, Indian Ocean islands, Madagascar, Pacific islands].