Cyperus flaccidus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cyperus flaccidus |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cyperus
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| Species: |
flaccidus
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Cyperus flaccidus is a type of grass-like plant called a sedge. It belongs to the Cyperaceae family. This plant grows naturally in Australia.
What Does Cyperus flaccidus Look Like?
This sedge is an annual plant, meaning it lives for about one year. It usually grows to be about 0.1 to 0.2 metres (0.33 to 0.66 ft) tall. It blooms with green flowers between May and April.
Its leaves are quite narrow, only about 1 to 2 mm (0.039 to 0.079 in) wide. Often, the leaves are mostly just sheaths (like a wrapping) and are much shorter than the main stems, called culms. The plant has simple, head-like flower clusters, known as inflorescences. These clusters have three to seven branches and can be around 8 cm (3.1 in) long.
The flower clusters are round, about 15 mm (0.59 in) across. They have leaf-like parts called bracts. The lowest bract stands up straight, looking like a continuation of the stem. It is longer than the flower cluster itself. Inside these clusters, there are two to eight flattened spikelets. Each spikelet contains about 20 small flowers. After the plant flowers, it forms a small, brown, egg-shaped nut. This nut is about 0.5 mm (0.020 in) long and 0.3 mm (0.012 in) wide.
How Was Cyperus flaccidus Named?
A botanist named Robert Brown first officially described this plant in 1810. He wrote about it in his book, Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae et insulae Van-Diemen, exhibens characteres plantarum quas annis 1802-1805. This is how the plant got its scientific name. It also has two other names that were used in the past, called synonyms: Cyperus trinervis var. flaccidus and Cyperus macellus.
Where Does Cyperus flaccidus Grow?
This plant is endemic to Australia. This means it grows naturally only in Australia. You can find it scattered across the eastern parts of Australia. This includes eastern Queensland and New South Wales, western Victoria, and eastern South Australia.
It also has small, separate groups of plants in the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Cyperus flaccidus mostly lives in damp places, like creek beds.
