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  4. Cyperus eragrostis

Cyperus eragrostis

Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 06/02/2006, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Coromandel, November.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
At the Coromandel, November.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Western Hutt hills.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 28/07/2013, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 02/01/2017, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Common name

umbrella sedge

Family

Cyperaceae

Authority

Cyperus eragrostis Lam.

Flora category

Vascular – Exotic

Structural class

Sedges

NVS code

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

CYPERA

Conservation status

Not applicable

Brief description

Tufted leafy sedge, with triangular stems up to 90 cm tall, leaves arranged in threes, with a group of 5 to 7 green round flowerheads, each made up of broad flattened flower spikes, with 5 to 8 long grass-like leaves immediately under this, at the end of flower stalk.

Distribution

Scattered throughout both islands, locally abundant.

Habitat

Wet areas such as the banks of rivers and streams, swamps, ditches.

Wetland plant indicator status rating

Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland).

FACW: Facultative Wetland

Usually is a hydrophyte but occasionally found in uplands (non-wetlands).

Features

Rhizome short, thick, woody. Stems 25-90 cm high, stout, obtusely trigonous, smooth, leafy and ± thickened at base. Leaves usually < stems, 4-8 mm wide, flat, margins finely serrate; sheaths dark purple-brown. Involucral bracts 5-8, leaf like, unequal, often very much > inflorescence. Inflorescence a compound umbel, rather variable in size; rays 5-7- (9), of unequal length, each with a dense pale green to yellow-green globose or hemispherical spike at tip, 1-2 cm diam. Spikelets many, densely crowded, much compressed, ± 5-12 ×3 mm, ovoid-oblong, subacute. Glumes many, ± 2 mm long, densely imbricate, ovate, membranous, cells very distinct, whitish-cream to light brown, 1-distinct lateral nerve on each side, keel green, tip slightly recurved. Stamen 1. Style-branches 3. Nut ± ½ length of glume, trigonous, obovoid brown (Healy and Edgar, 1980).

Similar taxa

Similar to other Cyperus species, distinguished from the other species by the globular yellow-green flowerheads and basal leaves.

Flowering

Summer to autumn

Flower colours

Green, Yellow

Fruiting

Summer to autumn

Life cycle

Seed dispersed by contaminated machinery.

Year naturalised

1871

Origin

North and South America

Reason for introduction

Unknown, possibly ornamental plant, seed or soil contaminant.

Control techniques

Can be controlled manually, mechanically or herbicidally depending on situation.

Etymology

cyperus: From the ancient Greek name for sedge, kypeiros

eragrostis: From the Greek eros ‘love’ and agrostis ‘grass’

Attribution

Prepared by Paul Champion and Deborah Hofstra (NIWA). Features description from Healy and Edgar (1980).

References and further reading

Healy, A.J.; Edgar, E. (1980). Flora of New Zealand, Volume III. Adventive Cyperaceous, Petalous and Spathaceous Monocotyledons. Government Printer, Wellington. 220pp.

Champion et al (2012). Freshwater Pests of New Zealand. NIWA publication. http://www.niwa.co.nz/freshwater-and-estuaries/management-tools/identification-guides-and-fact-sheets/freshwater-pest-species

Johnson PN, Brooke PA (1989). Wetland plants in New Zealand. DSIR Field Guide, DSIR Publishing, Wellington. 319pp.

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