Cyperus laevigatus L.

Smooth flatsedge (en), Souchet à deux épis (fr), Souchet lisse (fr), Petit-jonc lisse (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Poales > Cyperaceae > Cyperus

Characteristics

Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous. Culms single or close together, trigonous to ± terete, (1–)8–30(–60) cm × (0.3–)0.6–1.5(–2.2) mm, glabrous. Leaves: blades present or reduced to sheaths, base of culm covered with reddish sheath 5–25 mm, distally short toothed 1–2 mm, or leaf blades involute, 1–7 cm × 0.3–1(–1.6) mm. Inflorescences: heads appearing lateral, spikes ± digitate, 5–15 × 5–15 mm; rays absent, sometimes 1, to 2 mm; bracts (1–)2(–3), longer bracts erect, appearing as continuation of culm, shorter bract(s) horizontal or ascending, longer bracts (1–)2–8(–12) cm × 0.5–3 mm, shorter (0.3–)1–4.5 cm × 0.2–1 mm. Spikelets (1–)2–7(–14), whitish green to reddish, compressed-turgid, ellipsoid to oblong-lanceoloid, 4–7(–12) × (1.6–)2–3(–3.6) mm; floral scales (8–)12–22, off-white, whitish with red speckles, or with single red spot 0.5 mm wide, medially whitish, oblong-laterally ribless or weakly 2-ribbed, medially weakly 1–3-ribbed, obovate to orbiculate, 1.5–2 × (1.3–)1.6–2 mm. Flowers: anthers (0.5–)0.7–1 mm, connective apex reddish, 0.1–0.2 mm; styles 0.8–1.2 mm; stigmas 0.7–1 mm. Achenes gray, glossy, oblong-ellipsoid to ovoid, (1.2–)1.3–1.5(–1.8) × (0.7–)0.8–1(–1.2) mm, base cuneate to stipelike, apex apiculate, surfaces finely reticulate to papillate.
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Perennial herb, 0.1-0.6 m high, long-rhizomatous or ± tufted. Leaf blades very short, rigid. Culm scapose, subterete, 2-3 mm in diam. at middle. Inflorescence appearing lateral, ± 10-30 x ± 8-30 mm, a digitate cluster of (l-)several spikelets. Subtending bract erect, rigid, longer than inflorescence. Spikelets ± compressed, linear to lanceolate, 5-20 x 1.5-3.0 mm, straight or curved. Glumes very closely imbricate, broadly elliptic, 2.0-3.5 mm long, light brown or purplish. Flowering time Oct.-Dec. Nutlet with plane face against rachilla, obovate, 1.5-1.7 x 0.8-1.0 mm, plano-convex, grey to brown, surface smooth.
Perennial herb, up to 0.6 m high; tufted or rhizomatous; culms crowded or solitary on a long, creeping rhizome. Leaf blades very short, rigid, reduced to sheaths. Flowers: inflorescence appearing lateral, ± 10-20(-30) x ± 8-20(-30) mm, a digitate cluster of (1-)several spikelets, overtopped by largest, erect and rigid basal bract; spikelets 2.0-2.5 mm wide; glumes and nutlets abscising individually leaving a persistent rachilla; style branches 2; glumes many per spikelet, light brown or purplish; Oct.-Apr.
Rhizomatous or tufted, erect perennial, 100-600 mm tall. Leaf blades very short, rigid. Stem cylindrical, 2-3 mm diam. at middle. Inflorescence appearing lateral, ± 10-20(-30) x ± 8-20(-30) mm, a digitate cluster of (1-)several spikelets, overtopped by the largest, erect, and rigid basal bract. Spikelets 2-2.5 mm wide, light brown or purplish.
A tufted, perennial herb, up to 0.6 m high. Culms crowded or solitary on a long, creeping rhizome. Inflorescence a solitary spikelet or a loose to crowded head of spikelets, lateral. Glumes pale yellowish grey.
A sedge. It grows 60 cm high. It keeps growing from year to year and can form clumps connected by an underground stem. The flowering shoot has a small array of cylinder shaped spikelets.
Constantly with an erect bract and a capitate, pseudo-lateral inflorescence of sessile, white spikelets
Rhizomatous to tufted perennial, 10-60 cm. Spikelets light brown or purplish.
A creeping, rush-like sedge, varying much in size
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality
Pollination anemogamy
Spread barochory
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.38 - 0.6
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c4

Environment

It is widespread in the tropics and subtropics. It is often near salty areas and hot springs. It can grow in salty and alkaline soils. In Argentina it grows between sea level and 1,000 m above sea level.
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Along lake shores, usually in saline or alkaline sites; on riverbanks, and around hot springs; at elevations up to 2,300 metres.
Damp sandy places, particularly on the margins of brackish pools.
Light 4-9
Soil humidity 6-8
Soil texture 1-4
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-12

Usage

Uses animal food environmental use fiber gene source material medicinal
Edible -
Therapeutic use Strengthener (flower), Cold Remedy (unspecified), Dermatological Aid (unspecified), Venereal Aid (unspecified), Dysuria (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by seedlings.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) 25 - 30
Germination temperacture (C°) 21 - 23
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Flower

Cyperus laevigatus flower picture by T Liz (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Cyperus laevigatus world distribution map, present in Afghanistan, Angola, Burkina Faso, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Botswana, Cabo Verde, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Algeria, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Spain, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Libya, Lesotho, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Palau, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Réunion, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Senegal, Singapore, Somalia, eSwatini, Turks and Caicos Islands, Chad, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Tanzania, United Republic of, Uganda, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Yemen, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Conservation status

Cyperus laevigatus threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:304938-1
WFO ID wfo-0000376262
COL ID 33CLQ
BDTFX ID 20778
INPN ID 93961
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Chlorocyperus laevigatus Cyperus laevigatus Cyperus maritimus Chlorocyperus junciformis Juncellus laevigatus Pycreus laevigatus Cyperus laevigatus f. viridulus Cyperus monostachyus Cyperus rivularis Cyperus mucronatus Acorellus laevigatus Cyperus laevigatus var. albidus Cyperus laevigatus var. caespitosus Cyperus laevigatus var. pallae Cyperus laevigatus var. reptans Cyperus laevigatus var. ramlehensis Juncellus laevigatus var. junciformis Cyperus laevigatus subsp. albidus Cyperus laevigatus var. viridulus Cyperus laevigatus f. atratus Cyperus laevigatus var. laevigatus Cyperus laevigatus var. viridulus

Lower taxons

Cyperus laevigatus subsp. laevigatus Cyperus laevigatus subsp. distachyos Cyperus laevigatus subsp. distachyos Cyperus laevigatus var. caespitosa