Bolboschoenus maritimus (L.) Palla

Culms 50–150 cm × (1–)3–8 mm. Leaves: sheaths reaching ± to mid culm, fronts usually membranous at mouth, apex concave to convex, veins diverging proximal to summit leaving triangular, veinless area (often disintegrating); widest blade 2–12 mm wide. Inflorescences with all spikelets sessile, simply branched with not more than 1/2 of spikelets solitary or in clusters of 2–10 on 1–4 rays, rays not exceeding 8 cm; involucral bracts that surpass inflorescences 1–4, widest bract 1–6 mm wide. Spikelets (1–)2–40, ovoid to lanceoloid, 7–40 × (4–)7–10 mm, base usually cuneate to rounded; scales often loosely imbricate, bright orange-brown to stramineous, often obscurely lineolate-spotted, 5–8 × 3–4 mm, membranous, translucent, apex acute, 2-fid 0.5–1 mm deep, awn slender, 1–3 × 0.25 mm at base. Flowers: perianth bristles not persistent on shed achenes or sometimes 1–few weakly persistent, medium brown, to 1/2 achene length; anthers yellow, very rarely orange, 2–4 mm; styles 2–3-fid. Achenes medium to dark brown, rarely yellowish or whitish, obovoid, biconvex, or concave-sided, rarely obtusely compressed trigonous, 2.3–4.1 × 1.9–2.8 mm, apex rounded to nearly truncate, beak 0.1–0.4 mm, surface glossy, exocarp (epidermal) cells usually clearly visible at 10–20X; in achene cross section exocarp 2 times as thick as mesocarp, its cells greatly enlarged, at least 3 times deeper than wide; achene specific gravity much less than water.

It is a Mediterranean plant. It can grow in salty soils. It can grow in arid places. It occurs in wet areas on salty soils near coasts. It grows in the Sahara. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 500 m above sea level.

The starchy root tubers can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable or used to extract starch. The central stem can be processed into flour.

Can be grown by cuttings, divisions or seedlings.