Cyperus betchei facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cyperus betchei
Scientific classification
Genus:	Cyperus
Species:	betchei

Cyperus betchei is a special type of grass-like plant known as a sedge. It belongs to the Cyperaceae family, which includes many plants similar to grasses. This sedge grows naturally in Australia.

What is Cyperus betchei?

This sedge is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for many years. It usually grows to be quite tall, reaching between 0.7 and 1.2 meters (about 2 to 4 feet) in height. When it blooms, it produces small brown flowers.

Who Discovered Cyperus betchei?

A botanist named Stanley Thatcher Blake first officially described this plant in 1940. He wrote about it in a scientific paper called Notes on Australian Cyperaceae, III. Before that, another scientist, Georg Kükenthal, had given it a different name, Cyperus angustatus var. betchei, in 1936. This older name is now considered a "synonym," which means it's another name for the same plant.

Where Does Cyperus betchei Grow?

You can find Cyperus betchei in several parts of Australia. In Western Australia, it grows in regions like the Kimberley, Pilbara, and Goldfields-Esperance. It prefers sandy-loamy soils, which are a mix of sand and clay. This sedge also grows in areas that get wet during certain seasons, like parts of the Northern Territory, Queensland, and New South Wales.

Different Types of Cyperus betchei

Scientists have found that there are two main types, or subspecies, of Cyperus betchei:

• Cyperus betchei (Kuek.) S.T.Blake subsp. betchei
• Cyperus betchei subsp. commiscens K.L.Wilson 1991