Cyperus bulbosus Vahl

Perennial. Stolons capillary, disappearing after having formed ovoid to fusiform, at first whitish, ultimately shining black, bulb-like, 1-1½ cm long tubers; coat of tubers coriaceous, striate, splitting into some caducous, blackish segments. Stems arising from a tuber, slender, triquetrous, smooth, (5-)15-30 cm by ½-1 mm. Leaves several, often recurved, as long as or longer than the stem, gradually acuminate, scaberulous in the upper part, 1-2(-4) mm wide. Inflorescence simple, often imperfect (reduced to a spike) or with a few short rays, 2-3 by 1-3(-5) cm. Involucral bracts (1-)2-3, patent to reflexed, 1-2 mm spaced or only the lowermost obvious, usually overtopping the inflorescence, up to 10 cm. Spikelets spicately arranged, patent, linear, compressed, 8-28-flowered, 1-3 cm by c. 2 mm; rachilla flexuous, broadly winged, persistent; wings persistent; internodes c. 1 mm. Glumes chartaceous, obliquely erect, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, subacute, muticous or minutely mucronulate, 9-11-nerved, with green keel and shining reddish to castaneous sides, (3-)4 by 2 mm, ½ imbricate. Stamens 3; anthers linear, 1½-2 mm, with short, smooth, red appendage of the connective. Stigmas 3. Nut trigonous, obovoid to ellipsoid, obtuse, apiculate, ultimately black, c.1½ by ½ mm.

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical regions. In Australia it is inland near salt lakes. It grows in dry regions and seasonally wet grasslands. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall of about 300 mm. In East Africa it grows from 300-2,400 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It can grow on coastal sand dunes.

The husk is removed and the bulb is eaten raw or roasted. The bulbs are also dried and ground and added to flour.

Plants can be grown by division or tubers. They can aso be grown from seed.