Flat-sedges
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| Flat-sedge photos - Umbrella Sedge | Drain Flat-sedge | Tiny Flat-sedge | Variable Flat-sedge | Family name: Sedge (Cyperaceae) |
| Scientific Name: | Cyperus spp. |  Drain Flat-sedge plants Photo: A J Brown |
Status: | Both Australian native and introduced species. | |
Plant Description: | Tufted annual or shortly rhizomatous perennial grass-like plants. Mostly with triangular stems and without any nodes (swollen growing points) along the stems. Leaves generally shiny, glossy green, sometimes longer than stems, sometimes reduced to leaf-sheaths only and without blades. Flower-heads are usually simple or compound (an aggregate of smaller flower-heads) and subtended by leaf-like involucral bracts. Spikelets are often many flowered and flattened or compressed. Fruit is a triangular or lens-like nut. | |
Habitat: | Most Flat-sedges grow wherever there is water. River-banks, lake and lagoon edges, swamps, drains, floodplains and irrigated pastures are common sites. Most species are found in freshwater but some will grow in brackish waters. | |
Comments: | There are approximately 30 species of Flat-sedges in Victoria. About 8 of these are introduced. Five species are reasonably common and widespread; the introduced Drain Flat-sedge (Cyperus eragrostis) and Tiny Flat-sedge (C. tenellus) and the native Spring Flat-sedge (C. gymnocaulus), Gunn’s Flat-sedge (C. gunnii) and Leafy Flat-sedge (Cyperus lucidus). A number of species, such as Variable Flat-sedge or Dirty Dora (C. difformis) and Tall Flat-sedge (C. exaltatus) are confined to areas along the Murray River and its tributaries. A number of species, such as Papyrus (C. papyrus), Umbrella Sedge (C. involucratus) are commonly sold in the nursery trade as wetland garden plants. |
Flat-sedge Photos
Variable Flat-Sedge Photos | |
 Flower-head of Variable Flat-sedge Photo: A J Brown |  Base and leaf sheaths of Variable Flat-sedge Photo: A J Brown |
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