Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Cyperus esculentus
yellow nut-grass
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Moist, low ground along streams and ditches, but sometimes in drier ground.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Description:
General:

Herbaceous, sweet-scented perennial, the sharply triangular, solid stems 1-7 dm. tall, arising singly from slender rhizomes that terminate in small tubers.

Leaves:

Leaves grass-like, clustered at the base, the elongate blade 3-8 mm. wide, the sheaths closed; involucre bracts elongate, unequal, sometimes longer than the leaves.

Flowers:

Spikelets in open, cylindric spikes, the terminal spike or cluster of spikes sessile, the others single or in small groups on rays up to 7 cm. long; spikelets slender, 0.5-5 cm. long and 1-2 mm. wide; scales of the spikelets in two vertical rows, 2.5-3 mm. long, several nerved, broad and overlapping laterally, but not closely set; perianth none; stamens 3; style trifid.

Fruits:

Achenes unequally triangular, 1.3-2 mm. long.

Accepted Name:
Cyperus esculentus L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 1: 45. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Infraspecies:
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Cyperus esculentus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Cyperus esculentus checklist entry

OregonFlora: Cyperus esculentus information

E-Flora BC: Cyperus esculentus atlas page

CalPhotos: Cyperus esculentus photos

21 photographs:
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