Cyperaceae are a family of monocotyledonous graminoid flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 5,500 species described in about 109 genera.1] These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in tropical Asia and tropical South America. While sedges may be found growing in all kinds of situations, many are associated with wetlands, or with poor soils. Ecological communities dominated by sedges are known as sedgelands.
Features distinguishing members of the sedge family from grasses or rushes are that members of the sedge family have stems with triangular cross-sections (with occasional exceptions), and their leaves are spirally arranged in three ranks (grasses have alternate leaves forming two ranks).[2][3][4]
Some well-known sedges include the water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) and the papyrus sedge (Cyperus papyrus), from which the Ancient Egyptian writing material was made. This family also includes cotton-grass (Eriophorum), spike-rush (Eleocharis), sawgrass (Cladium), nutsedge or nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus, a common lawn weed), the large genus of Carex, and white star sedge (Rhynchospora colorata).
^ R. Govaerts & D. A. Simpson, with J. Bruhl, T. Egorova, P. Goetghebeur & K. Wilson (2007). Word Checklist of Cyperaceae: Sedges. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 9781842461990.
The green toucanets are near-passerine birds from the genus Aulacorhynchus in the toucan family. They are native to Mexico, and Central and South America. All are found in humid forests and woodlands in highlands, but a few also occur in adjacent lowlands. They are relatively small toucans, 30?44 centimetres (12?17 in) long, with colorful, mainly green, plumage. They are typically seen in pairs or small groups, and sometimes follow mixed species flocks. [more]
Herbs, perennial, cespitoseor not, rhizomatous.Culms solitary or not, cormose at base [except eastern Asian Bolboschoenus
planiculmis (F. Schmidt) T. V. Egerova], sharply trigonous. Leaves basal and cauline; sheathstubular; ligules absent; blades flat or V-shaped in crosssection, prominently keeled on abaxial surface, distallytrigonous. Inflorescencesterminal, subumbellate, subcorymbose, or capitate; spikelets to 80, mostly 4-10 mm diam.; involucral bractssurpassinginflorescence 1-5, spreading or proximalerect, leaflike. Spikelets: scales 25 or more, spirally arranged, each subtendingflower, abaxiallypuberulent, often glabrescent, tipnotched and awned.Flowersbisexual; perianth of 3-6 bristles, straight or curved, shorter to slightly longer than achene, retrorsely spinulose; stamens 3; styleslinear, 2-3-fid, base persistent.Achenesbiconvex to trigonous, 2.3-5.5 mm, smooth.[3][more]
Bulbostylis
Bulbostylis is a genus of plants in the sedge family. They are sometimes called hairsedges. There are over 100 species of these clump-forming plants of dry grasslands and warm and tropical savannas worldwide. They have solid, rounded, grooved stems and long, thin basal leaves. They bear spikelets of flowers. [more]
Carex is a genus of plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges. Other members of the Cyperaceae family are also called sedges, however those of genus Carex may be called "true" sedges, and it is the most species-rich genus in the family. The study of Carex is known as caricology. [more]
The Mountain Blackeye (Chlorocharis emiliae) is a bird species in the monotypic genus Chlorocharis.[] It is closely related to the Old World babblers, and its family Zosteropidae may warrant inclusion in the Tiimalidae. [more]
Cladium (Fen-sedge, Sawgrass or Twig-sedge) is a genus of large sedges, with a worldwide distribution in tropical and temperate regions. These are plants characterized by long, narrow (grass-like) leaves having sharp, often serrated (sawtooth-like) margins, and flowering stems 1?3 m tall bearing a much-branched inflorescence. The number of species it contains is disputed, with different authors accepting between two and 60 species as distinct. [more]
Herbs, perennial, cespitose, evergreen.Culmscompressedorterete. Leaves basal, bladeless; proximalsheaths 4-6, whitish to straw colored, disintegrating at maturity, distal 1(-2, rarely), blade flat, formed from open, elongatedsheath, without ligule or evident midvein, usually 2-5 cm wide. Inflorescencesterminal, single spike; bractsspirally arranged, each subtendingflower, scalelike. Spikelets 1-flowered; scales 0-1. Flowersunisexual; staminate flowers without scales; pistillate
flowers with 1 scale enclosing flower (perigynium), open only at apex; perianth absent; stamens 3; stylesdeciduous, linear, 3-fid. Achenes sharply trigonous.[4][more]
Cyperus
Cyperus is a large genus of about 600 species of sedges, distributed throughout all continents in both tropical and temperate regions. They are annual or perennial plants, mostly aquatic and growing in still or slow-moving water up to 0.5 m deep. The species vary greatly in size, with small species only 5 cm tall, while others can reach 5 m in height. Common names include papyrus sedges, flatsedges, nutsedges, umbrella-sedges and galingales. [more]
Eleocharis is a genus of 250 or more species the Cyperaceae (sedge family). They are known commonly as spikerushes, although spikesedges is a more technically appropriate name and most scientists who study them in earnest refer to them as such. The genus has a geographically cosmopolitan distribution, with centers of diversity in the Amazon 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 (in the tropical Andes). [more]
Eriophorum (Cottongrass, Cotton-grass or Cottonsedge) is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the family Cyperaceae, the Sedge family. They are found throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere in acid bog habitats, being particularly abundant in Arctic tundra regions. [more]
Fimbristylis is a genus of sedges. A plant in this genus may be known commonly as a fimbry, fimbristyle, or fringe-rush. There are 200 to 300 species distributed worldwide. Several continents have native species but many have been introduced to regions where they are not native. Many 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. [more]
Herbs, annualorperennial, cespitose or not, rhizomatous or not, variously pubescent.Culms solitary or not, 3-5-angled in crosssection. Leaves allcauline, polystichous, usually hairy, hair sometimes confined to junction of blade and sheath; sheathsclosed, tubular; ligules tubular, scarious; blades sometimes absent or reduced to mucro or cusp, flat, or those mid culm strongly formed. Inflorescences of spikeletssessile in clusters of 2-5 (rarely solitary), the clusters sessile or pedunculate and terminal or racemose; spikelets to 150. Spikelets: scales 20-50, spirally arranged, proximal 1-2 scales empty, others subtendingflower, some distal scales empty.Flowersbisexual; perianth (3-) 6 in sets of 3, outer set of stout, sharp bristles shorter than inner set of stipitate-bladed, spatulate scales, rarely inner set forked or pinnatelylobed; stamens 1-3(-6), long-exserted; styleslinear, 3-fid, articulate well distal to base, base usually persistent.Achenes trigonous-rhomboid.[6][more]
Herbs, perennial, cespitose, short-rhizomatous. Culms rounded-trigonous. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leafsheathspersistent; ligules present; bladesinvolute to filiform.Inflorescencesterminal, spicateorpaniculate, simple or compound; spikelets mostly 10-30; proximalbractssubtendingspikes leaflike or scalelike; bracts subtending spikelets scalelike. Spikelets: terminal and distal spikelets usually 1-flowered, staminate; proximal spikelets 1-flowered and pistillate, or
2-4-flowered and bisexual with 1 pistillate flowerproximally and 1-3 staminate flowersdistally, all enclosed by scalelike bract open to one side (perigynium), perigynium sometimes enclosing additional sterilescales. Flowers unisexual; perianth absent; stamens
3; styleslinear, usually 3-fid, basepersistent.Achenes usually trigonous, included in perygynium.[8][more]
Banksia sect. Oncostylis is one of four sections of subgenus Banksia subg. Banksia. It contains those Banksia species with hooked pistils. All of the species in Oncostylis also exhibit a top-down sequence of flower anthesis, except for Banksia nutans which is bottom-up. [more]
Cyperus is a large genus of about 600 species of sedges, distributed throughout all continents in both tropical and temperate regions. They are annual or perennial plants, mostly aquatic and growing in still or slow-moving water up to 0.5 m deep. The species vary greatly in size, with small species only 5 cm tall, while others can reach 5 m in height. Common names include papyrus sedges, flatsedges, nutsedges, umbrella-sedges and galingales. [more]
Pleurothallis, abbreviated Pths in horticultural trade, is a genus of orchids commonly named Bonnet Orchids. The genus name is derived from the Greek word 'pleurothallos', meaning 'riblike branches'. This refers to the rib-like stems of many species. [more]
Rhynchospora
Rhynchospora (Beak-sedge or Star-sedge) is a genus of about 400 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. The most distinctive feature of the genus is the one to ten or more long bracts at the base of the inflorescence, resembling a bird's beak (if one) or a star, whence the common names. The bracts are typically 3-5 cm long, but in R. nervosa, they can reach 22 cm long. [more]
Schoenoplectus (Club-rush [Old World species], Bulrush or Tule [New World species]) is a genus of about 80 species of sedges with a cosmopolitan distribution. Note that the name bulrush is also applied to species in the unrelated genus Typha. The genus Schoenoplectus is closely related to Scirpus, and included in it by some botanists. [more]
Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous.Culmsdistally branched, terete. Leaves basal; ligules absent; bladesinvoluteorsubcylindric.Inflorescencesterminal, sometimes pseudolateral, capitate [diffusely branched]; spikelets (1-) 10-25, black or very dark purple; involucral bracts 1-2, spreading or erect, leaflike. Spikelets: scales 3-8, distichous, black or very dark purple, 2-3 proximal scales empty, distal scales each subtendingflower.Flowersbisexual; perianthbristles 0-6, shorter or longer than achene, smooth or scabrous; stamens 3; stylesdeciduous, linear, 3-fid. Achenes rounded-trigonous to subterete.[13][more]
The plant genus Scirpus consists of a large number of aquatic, grass-like species in the family Cyperaceae (the sedges), many with the common names club-rush or bulrush (see also bulrush for other plants so-named). Other common names are deergrass or grassweed. [more]
Scleria
Scleria is a genus of plant in family Cyperaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): [more]
Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatousor not. Culmstrigonous or terete. Leaves basal or subbasal; sheaths bladeless or distal sheaths with blade to 5 mm, not fibrous; ligules present; bladesobsolete or elongate, linear, less than 1 cm × 1 mm.Inflorescencesterminal; spikelets 1; involucral bracts
1, suberect, scalelike, apexmucronate or awned. Spikelets: scales 3-9, spirally arranged, each subtendingflower.Flowersbisexual; perianth of 0-6 bristles, straight, shorter than to about 20 times as long as achene, smooth or scabrous; stamens 3; styles linear, 3-fid, basepersistent.Achenes trigonous or plano-convex.[14][more]
^ R. Govaerts & D. A. Simpson, with J. Bruhl, T. Egorova, P. Goetghebeur & K. Wilson (2007). Word Checklist of Cyperaceae: Sedges. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 9781842461990.
Beetle, A. A. 1942. Studies in the genus Scirpus L. IV. The section Bolboschoenus Palla. Amer. J. Bot. 29: 82-88.
Beetle, A. A. 1947. Scirpus L. section Baeothryon (A. Dietr.) Reichenb. In: N. L. Britton et al., eds. 1905+. North American Flora. 47+ vols. New York. Vol. 18, pp. 493495.
Browning, J. and K. D. Gordon-Gray. 1993. Studies in Cyperaceae in southern Africa: 21. The taxonomic significance of the achene and its embryo in Bolboschoenus. S. African J. Bot. 59: 311-318.
Browning, J., K. D. Gordon-Gray, and S. G. Smith. 1995. Achene structure and taxonomy of North American Bolboschoenus (Cyperaceae). Brittonia 47: 433-445.
Clarkson, R. B. 1962. Fraser's sedge, Cymophyllus fraseri (Andrews) Mackenzie. Castanea 26: 129-136.
Delahoussaye, A. J. and J. W. Thieret. 1967. Cyperus subgenus Kyllinga (Cyperaceae) in the continental United States. Sida 3: 128-136.
Estelita, M. M. 1993. Remirea Aubl., a new Kranz genus. Revista Brasil. Bot. 16: 137-141.
Fernald, M. L. 1943b. Studies in North American species of Scirpus. Rhodora 45: 279296.
Friedland, S. 1941. The American species of Hemicarpha. Amer. J. Bot. 28: 855-861.
Goetghebeur, P. and A. Van den Borre. 1989. Studies in Cyperaceae: 8. A revision of Lipocarpha, including Hemicarpha and Rikliella. Wageningen Agric. Univ. Pap. 89(1): 1-87.
Goetghebeur, P. and D. A. Simpson. 1991. Critical notes on Actinoscirpus, Bolboschoenus, Isolepis, Phylloscirpus and Amphiscirpus. Kew Bull. 46: 169-178.
Gordon-Gray, K. D. 1966. Studies in Cyperaceae in southern Africa: IV. Fimbristylis species of section Abildgaardia (Vahl) Bentham. J. S. African Bot. 32: 141-152.
Kükenthal, G. 1938. Vorarbeiten zu einer Monographie der Rhynchosporoideae. Schoenus. Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 44: 132, 162195.
Koyama, T. 1982. The genus Lipocarpha R. Br., its morphology and systematic position in the family Cyperaceae. Acta Phytotax. Geobot. 33: 218-226.
Kral, R. 1971. A treatment of Abildgaardia, Bulbostylis and Fimbristylis (Cyperaceae) for North America. Sida 4: 57-227.
Kral, R. 1978. A synopsis of Fuirena (Cyperaceae) for the Americas north of South America. Sida 7: 309-354.
Lye, K. A. 1971c. Studies in African Cyperaceae: 2. The genus Oxycaryum Nees. Bot. Not. 124: 281-286.
Lye, K. A. 1973. Studies in African Cyperaceae: 8. The taxonomic position of Abildgaardia Vahl and Nemum Hamilton. Bot. Not. 126: 325-329.
Muasya, A. M. 1998. Systematics of the Genus Isolepis R. Br. (Cyperaceae). Ph.D. thesis. University of Reading.
Muasya, A. M. and D. A. Simpson. 2002. A monograph of the genus Isolepis R. Br. (Cyperaceae). Kew Bull. 57: 257-362.
Muasya, A. M., D. A. Simpson, M. W. Chase, and A. Culham. 2001. A phylogeny of Isolepis (Cyperaceae) inferred using plastid rbcL and trnL-F sequence data. Syst. Bot. 26: 342-353.
Padhye, M. D. 1971. Studies in the Cyperaceae. III. Life history of Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb. with a brief discussion on the taxonomic position of Kyllinga. Bot. Gaz. 132: 172-179.
Raynal, J. 1967. Notes cypérologiques: 7. Sur quelques Lipocarpha Africains. Adansonia, n.s. 7: 81-87.
Reznicek, A. A. 1989. Homology of the leaf in the southern Appalachian endemic Cymophyllus fraseri (Cyperaceae). [Abstract.] Amer. J. Bot. 76(6, suppl.): 267.
Thomas, W. W. 1984b. Insect pollination of Cymophyllus fraseri (Andrews) Mackenzie. Castanea 49: 94-95.
Tucker, G. C. 1984. A revision of the genus Kyllinga Rottb. (Cyperaceae) in Mexico and Central America. Rhodora 86: 507-538.
Tucker, G. C. 1993. Lipocarpha. In: J. C. Hickman, ed. 1993. The Jepson Manual. Higher Plants of California. Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London. P. 1144.
