The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus Carex with over 2,000 species.
Rhynchospora is a genus of about 400 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. The genus includes both annual and perennial species, mostly with erect 3-sided stems and 3-ranked leaves. The achenes bear a beak-like tubercule and are sometimes subtended by bristles. Many of the species are similar in vegetative appearance, and mature fruits are needed to make a positive identification.
Eleocharis is a virtually cosmopolitan genus of 250 or more species of flowering plants in the sedge family, Cyperaceae. The name is derived from the Greek words ἕλειος (heleios), meaning "marsh dweller," and χάρις (charis), meaning "grace." Members of the genus are known commonly as spikerushes or spikesedges. The genus has a geographically cosmopolitan distribution, with centers of diversity in the Amazon Rainforest and adjacent eastern slopes of the South American Andes, northern Australia, eastern North America, California, Southern Africa, and subtropical Asia. The vast majority of Eleocharis species grow in aquatic or mesic habitats from sea level to higher than 5,000 meters in elevation.
Uncinia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cyperaceae, known as hook-sedges in Australia and as hook grasses or bastard grasses in New Zealand. The genus is characterised by the presence of a long hook formed by an extension of the rachilla, which is used to attach the fruit to passing animals (epizoochory), especially birds, and it is this feature which gives the genus its name, from the Latin uncinus, meaning a hook or barb.
Fimbristylis is a genus of sedges. A plant in this genus may be known commonly as a fimbry or fimbristyle. There are 200 to 300 species distributed worldwide. Several continents have native species but many species have been introduced to regions where they are not native. Some are considered weeds. These are typical sedges in appearance, with stiff, ridged stems and cone-shaped terminal panicles of spikelets. They are found in wet environments, and are most diverse in tropical and subtropical regions.
Lepidosperma is a genus of flowering plant of the family Cyperaceae. Most of the species are endemic to Australia, with others native to southern China, southeast Asia, New Guinea, New Caledonia and New Zealand.
Gahnia is a genus of sedges native to China, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand and a number of Pacific Islands. The common name is due to the toothed margins. It often forms tussocks.
Ficinia is a genus of tufted or rhizomatous sedges in the family Cyperaceae. There are around 70 recognised species in Africa, four species that occur in New Zealand and a single species Ficinia nodosa that occurs in Australia.
Schoenus is a predominately austral genus of sedges, commonly known as bogrushes, or veldrushes in South Africa. Species of this genus occur mainly in South Africa, Australia and Southeast Asia. Others are found in scattered locations worldwide, from Europe to Asia, North Africa and the Americas. Three species occur in the peatlands of southern South America, including S. antarcticus which is found in Tierra del Fuego, where it forms a component of hyperhumid Magellanic moorland.
Lepironia is a genus of the sedge family, comprising only one species, Lepironia articulata, known as the grey sedge. It is found in Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, southern China, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and various islands of the western Pacific. It also occurs in northern and eastern Australia, as far south as Thirlmere Lakes National Park in New South Wales.
Isolepis is a genus of flowering plants in the sedge family, containing around 70 species. Isolepis is cosmopolitan, and often found in cool tropical and temperate climates in Africa and Australasia.
Machaerina (twigrush) is a genus of flowering plants in the sedge family. Its species occur in tropical America, the West Indies, Malesia, Australia and the Pacific region. The name comes from the Greek machaira, alluding to the shape of the leaves in the type species – Machaerina restioides.
Chorizandra is a genus of rhizomatous sedges, encompassing six species; four of which are endemic to Australia and two to New Caledonia.
Cyathochaeta is a genus of rhizomatous perennial sedges.
Cyperus concinnus is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia, and found in New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.
Cyperus orgadophilus is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to Australia, in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland.
Cyperus pulchellus is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to northern Australia, tropical Africa, northwest Madagascar and Southeast Asia.
Ptilothrix deusta is a sedge in the family Cyperaceae found in south eastern Australia. It is commonly seen in wet sandy soils in heathland, growing from 30 to 60 cm tall. This is one of the many plants first published by Robert Brown with the type known as "(J.) v.v." appearing in his Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen in 1810 as Carpha deusta. It was transferred to the genus, Ptilothrix, in 1994 by Karen Wilson. The genus name is derived from ancient Greek, meaning feather hair. The specific epithet deusta is derived from the Latin with a meaning of burnt.
Lepidosperma asperatum is a sedge that is endemic to Western Australia. It was first described in 1941 by Georg Kükenthal as Lepidosperma leptostachyum var. asperatum, but was elevated to species status in 2012 by Karen Wilson and Russell Barrett.
Schoenus nanus is a species of sedge endemic to Australia, and found in Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria. It was first described in 1844 by Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck as Chaetospora nana, but in 1878 was transferred by George Bentham to the genus, Schoenus.
