Cyperus squarrosus
L.
Cyperaceae
There has been considerable confusion over the correct name of this species, and it has often been known as Cyperus aristatus Rottb., and also as Cyperus inflecus Muhl.[
235- Title
- An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
- Publication
-
- Author
- Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications. New York.
- Year
- 1970
- ISBN
- 0-486-22642-5
- Description
- Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
].
Chlorocyperus inflexus (Muhl.) Palla
Cyperus aristatus Rottb.
Cyperus aureus J.Presl & C.Presl
Cyperus brownii Roem. & Schult.
Cyperus falciculosus Liebm.
Cyperus inflexus Muhl.
Cyperus purshii Roem. & Schult.
Cyperus pygmaeus Nutt.
Cyperus uncinatus R.Br.
Cyperus versicolor Nees
Dichostylis aristata (Rottb.) Palla
Dichostylis squarrosa (L.) Palla
Isolepis echinulata Kunth
Mariscus aristatus (Rottb.) Cherm.
Mariscus intricatus (L.) Cufod.
Mariscus squarrosus (L.) C.B.Clarke
Pycreus squarrosus (L.) Nees
Scirpus intricatus L.
Scirpus lappaceus Lam.
Common Name:
General Information
Cyperus squarrosus is an annual, grass-like plant growing from a fibrous rootstock. It produces a loose clump of culms around 2 - 40cm tall[
266- Title
- Flora of China
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1994
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
,
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
,
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
]. perennial plant that can grow up to 1.50 metres tall.
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials.
Cyperus squarrosus is widespread with stable populations and does not face any major threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
60- Title
- Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hitchcock. C. L.
- Publisher
- University of Washington Press
- Year
- 1955
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.
,
235- Title
- An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
- Publication
-
- Author
- Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications. New York.
- Year
- 1970
- ISBN
- 0-486-22642-5
- Description
- Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
,
270- Title
- Flora of N. America
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
Range
This species has a sub-cosmopolitan distribution, absent only from Europe and northern Asia[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]
Habitat
Wet places in valleys and lowland all over N. America[
60- Title
- Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Hitchcock. C. L.
- Publisher
- University of Washington Press
- Year
- 1955
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A standard flora for Western N. America with lots of information on habitat etc. Five large volumes, it is not for the casual reader.
]. Seasonally flooded areas, along the edges of tanks, pools and streams, in ditches, in rice fields and also by roadsides[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].
Properties
| Conservation Status | Least Concern |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.20 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Prefers a moist sandy loam[
95- Title
- Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Saunders. C. F.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Year
- 1976
- ISBN
- 0-486-23310-3
- Description
- Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
,
117- Title
- The Book of Edible Nuts.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Rosengarten. jnr. F.
- Publisher
- Walker & Co.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 0802707699
- Description
- A very readable and comprehensive guide. Well illustrated.
].
The dried plant is fragrant[
235- Title
- An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
- Publication
-
- Author
- Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
- Publisher
- Dover Publications. New York.
- Year
- 1970
- ISBN
- 0-486-22642-5
- Description
- Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
]. The plant has a strong aroma of Aloe tincture[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Edible Uses
Tuber - raw or cooked[
46- Title
- Dictionary of Economic Plants.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Uphof. J. C. Th.
- Publisher
- Weinheim
- Year
- 1959
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
161- Title
- Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Yanovsky. E.
- Publisher
- U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
- Year
-
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
,
177- Title
- Plants for Human Consumption.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Kunkel. G.
- Publisher
- Koeltz Scientific Books
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
- 3874292169
- Description
- An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
,
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]. A starchy flavour[
61- Title
- A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Usher. G.
- Publisher
- Constable
- Year
- 1974
- ISBN
- 0094579202
- Description
- Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
]. Small[
338- Title
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.iucnredlist.org/
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
]
We have no specific information for this species, but it is said that the inner base of the young stems of all species in this genus can be eaten raw, and make an excellent survival food in times of need[
85- Title
- Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Harrington. H. D.
- Publisher
- University of New Mexico Press
- Year
- 1967
- ISBN
- 0-8623-0343-9
- Description
- A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The leaves are used for weaving hats, matting etc[
178- Title
- Chinese Materia Medica.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Stuart. Rev. G. A.
- Publisher
- Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
- Year
- 1911
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
].
Propagation
Seed - surface sow in the spring and keep the compost moist[
164- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bird. R. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
]. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 6 weeks at 18°c[
164- Title
- Growing from Seed. Volume 4.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Bird. R. (Editor)
- Publisher
- Thompson and Morgan.
- Year
- 1990
- ISBN
- -
- Description
- Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.
]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. Grow on for their first winter in a greenhouse and plant them out in late spring after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring or autumn. This is more a matter of harvesting the tubers and replanting them. If this is done in the autumn, then it is best to store the tubers in a cool frost-free place overwinter and plant them out in the spring.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
