Bunchy sedge | |
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Flower head | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Monocots |
Clade: | Commelinids |
Order: | Poales |
Family: | Cyperaceae |
Genus: | Cyperus |
Species: | C. polystachyos |
Binomial name | |
Cyperus polystachyos | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Cyperus polystachyos, also known as Pycreus polystachyos, and also called manyspike flatsedge in the US, [3] or bunchy sedge, [4] [5] coast flatsedge, many-spiked sedge or Texas sedge in Australia, [5] is a herbaceous species in the family Cyperaceae, widespread in tropical and subtropical areas around the world, sometimes extending its range into temperate regions. [2]
The rhizomatous, perennial or annual grass-like sedge typically grows to a height of 0.15 to 0.6 metres (0.5 to 2.0 ft). It blooms between summer and winter and produces green-brown flowers. [4] The stems are rigid with a thickness of 1 to 3 millimetres (0.039 to 0.118 in). Stems are glabrous with a triangular cross-section. The leaves are very narrow, around 1 to 4 mm (0.039 to 0.157 in) with a grass-like appearance and are often tufted at the base of the plant. The seed-head is an irregular cluster formation at the tip of the stem with brown spikes that have three to six green leafy bracts underneath. [5]
It is common in the Neotropics as a weed in grass lawns.
In Australia the species is widespread in warmer climates and found from sea level to an altitude of around 1,020 metres (3,346 ft). The species is found along rivers and creeks in a range of ecosystems from rainforest, melaleuca forest, vine thickets, eucalypt forest and swamps in a variety of woodland and grassland areas including in salty mud and marshes of the ocean shore. [6]
In Australia the species is found mostly in coastal location, north of Perth in Western Australia [4] and through the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. [5]
In the United States, it has been reported from a region stretching from Texas to Maine. [3] [7] [8]
Cyperus is a large genus of about 700 species of sedges, distributed throughout all continents in both tropical and temperate regions.
Cyperus eragrostis is a species of sedge known by several common names, including tall flatsedge, nutgrass, tall nutgrass, umbrella sedge, chufa, Earth almond, zula nuts, edible galingale and pale galingale.
Cyperus bipartitus, commonly known as slender flatsedge, river cyperus, or the shining flatsedge, is a common species of sedge. The name "slender flatsedge" also applies to Cyperus gracilis.
Cyperus difformis is a species of sedge known by several common names, including variable flatsedge, smallflower umbrella-sedge and rice sedge. This plant is native to southern Europe, most of Africa and Asia, and Australia, and it is naturalized in other areas of the world, including large parts of the Americas.
Cyperus odoratus is a species of sedge known by the common names fragrant flatsedge and rusty flatsedge. This plant can be found in much of the tropical and warm temperate world, including South, Central, and North America, Southeast Asia, some Pacific Islands, Australia, New Guinea, Madagascar, and central Africa. It is a plant of wet, muddy areas, including disturbed and altered sites. This species is quite variable and may in fact be more than one species included under one name. In general this is an annual plant approaching half a meter in height on average but known to grow much taller. It usually has some long, thin leaves around the base. The inflorescence is made up of one to several cylindrical spikes attached at a common point. Each of the spikes bears a large number of flat, oval-shaped spikelets. Each spikelet is usually light brown to reddish-brown and has a few to over 20 flowers. Each flower is covered by a tough, flat bract with a visible midvein. The fruit is a flat achene less than two millimeters long.
Cyperus squarrosus is a species of sedge known by several common names, including bearded flatsedge and awned flatsedge. It is found in wet environments in North and South America, Africa, Australia, southern Asia and Italy.
Cyperus laevigatus is a species of sedge known by the common name smooth flatsedge.
Gahnia sieberiana, commonly known as the red-fruit saw-sedge, is a tussock-forming perennial plant in the family Cyperaceae, endemic to Australia. It is a widespread plant that favours damp sunny sites. Many insect larvae have been recorded feeding on the red-fruit saw-sedge. It may grow over 2 metres tall.
Cyperus alopecuroides, commonly known as the foxtail flatsedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to parts of Africa, Asia and Australia.
Cyperus compressus, commonly known as annual sedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that has a wide distribution throughout countries with warmer climates. It is found in tropical areas of Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Cyperus congestus, commonly known as dense flat-sedge or clustered flat-sedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to southern Africa mostly in South Africa, Lesotho and Namibia.
Cyperus digitatus, also known as finger flatsedge in the United States, and chang xiao sui suo cao in China, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia.
Cyperus gymnocaulos, commonly known as spiny flatsedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Cyperus javanicus, also known as the Javanese flatsedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Indonesia and Australia.
Cyperus surinamensis, also known as the tropical flatsedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to the Americas.
Cyperus tenellus is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae commonly known as the tiny flatsedge.
Cyperus vaginatus, commonly known as stiff-leaf sedge or stiff flat-sedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia.
Cyperus victoriensis, also known as channel nut grass is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to all the states and territories of mainland Australia.
Cyperus vorsteri is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae native to southern Africa.
Cyperus zollingeri, commonly known as roadside flatsedge, is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to tropical areas of Australia, Africa and Asia.
Data related to Cyperus polystachyos at Wikispecies
Media related to Cyperus polystachyos at Wikimedia Commons