Spiny flatsedge facts for kids

Cyperus gymnocaulos, commonly known as spiny flatsedge, is a type of grass-like plant called a sedge. It belongs to the Cyperaceae family, which includes many different sedges. This plant is originally from Australia.

About Spiny Flatsedge

The spiny flatsedge is a plant that grows from underground stems called rhizomes. These rhizomes help the plant spread and grow year after year, making it a perennial. It typically grows to be about 0.35 to 1 meter (1 to 3 feet) tall and forms a clump. This sedge produces brown flowers between July and March.

It usually has a short, thick rhizome. Its stems, called culms, are smooth and have a triangular or round shape. The leaves of adult plants are mostly reduced to sheaths, which are like wraps around the stem. However, younger plants do have more noticeable leaves.

How Spiny Flatsedge Was Named

The spiny flatsedge was first officially described by a botanist named Ernst Gottlieb von Steudel. He wrote about it in 1854 in his work called Synopsis Plantarum Glumacearum.

Where Spiny Flatsedge Lives

You can find spiny flatsedge in wet places like swamps, along creeks, and near rivers. It grows in all the mainland states of Australia, including the Northern Territory. In Western Australia, it is found in regions such as the Mid West, Wheatbelt, South West, and Goldfields-Esperance. It prefers to grow in sandy-clay soils in these areas.