Victorian Resources Online (archived)

Flat-sedges

Flat-sedge photos - Umbrella Sedge | Drain Flat-sedge | Tiny Flat-sedge | Variable Flat-sedge

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

Umbrella Sedge Photos
Umbrella Sedge plants Photo: A J Brown	Umbrella Sedge flower-head Photo: A J Brown
Old flower-heads of Umbrella Sedge Photo: A J Brown	Umbrella Sedge flower-heads with fallen basal spikelets Photo: A J Brown
Drain Flat-Sedge Photos
Drain Flat-sedge leaves and bracts Photo: A J Brown	Young flower-head of Drain Flat-sedge Photo: A J Brown
Drain Flat-sedge flower-heads Photo: A J Brown	Flower-head of Drain Flat-sedge with exserted anthers Photo: A J Brown
Tiny Flat-Sedge Photos
Tiny Flat-sedge plants Photo: A J Brown	Tiny Flat-sedge flower-head Photo: A J Brown
Flower-heads of Tiny Flat-sedge

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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