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 Leaves William Thomas @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) |  Plant William Thomas @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) | | | | |
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Origin:
Native
Life Cycle:
Annual
General Desc:
Annual with mostly erect stems; often much branched above with yellowish-green or bluish-green foliage. Narrow leaves have jagged brown sheaths at their bases. Small clusters of greenish or yellowish flowers grow at the leaf bases on a spike-like stalk.
Identification notes: Stems mostly erect; leaves erect, narrow, reduced upward, tip pointed, sheath at base; flowers in small spike-like clusters scattered along stems at leaf bases, petals, sepals greenish, yellowish, margins greenish-yellow or yellow, rarely pink or white.
Height:
To about 3 feet
Habitat Description: Usually moist habitats. Sometimes found in saline areas or coastal marshes but more widespread inland.
Plant Communities:
Riparian
Elevation: 5000 - 7000 feet
Color:
Greenish, yellowish, rarely pink or white
Shape:
Regular in elongated clusters
Tubular:
N
Flowering Period:
Jul - Sep
Description:
2 to 5 small flowers grow in erect clusters from the upper leaf axils (between the leaf and stem). Each flower is 5-parted, 1/8 inch long, with a deep lobe. The petals and petal-like sepals are joined at the base with the outer 3 longer than the inner 2.
Leaf Color:
Yellowish-green, bluish-green
Leaf Type:
Simple
Leaf Shape:
Narrow
Leaf Margin:
Smooth
Leaf Attachment:
Alternate
Leaves Clasp:
N
Hairs:
No
Spines:
N
Leaf Description:
Stems are smooth often growing to about 3 feet but may be as tall as 6 feet. Leaves are flat and narrow with thickened joints or nodes at the base. Branch leaves are much smaller than those on the stem. A sheath (ocrea) is found at the base of the leaf.
Fruit Color: Dark brown to black
Fruit Type: Achene
Fruit Notes: Fruit is about 1/8 inch, dry, oval, 3-angled, smooth to rough, shiny or dull, sometimes with small rounded projections on its surface. Fruit is enclosed in or longer than the petals and sepals. Late season fruits are common and larger growing to 3/4 inch.
Seed Notes: Each fruit produces 1 seed. The fruit does not split open to release the seed when mature.
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