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nut flatsedge, nut grass, yellow nut sedge, yellow nut-grass

Habit Herbs, perennial, stoloniferous; stolons soft, spongy, flexible when dried, 2–8(–15) cm, bearing tubers (3–)6–11 mm diam.
Culms

trigonous, 15–60 (–100) cm × 0.6–3.4 mm, glabrous.

Leaves

3–7, flat to V-shaped or flanged V-shaped, (6–)20–40(–80) cm × 2–4 (–6.5) mm.

Inflorescences

spikes broadly ellipsoid to ovoid or hemispheric, (12–)18–30 × (12–)18–35 mm;

rachis 4–17 mm;

rays 4–10, (0.3–)2–12 cm;

bracts (3–)4–5(–7), ± horizontal to ascending at 45(–75)°, V-shaped to flanged V-shaped, (1.5–)5–30 cm × 0.5–4 mm;

rachilla persistent, wings hyaline, 0.3–0.5 mm wide.

Spikelets

(3–)10–20(–28), divaricate or ascending, yellowish brown to dark brown, linear to linear-lanceoloid, compressed-quadrangular, (5–)10–20(–55) × (1.2–)1.4–2(–3) mm;

floral scales persistent, 6–34, spreading or appressed, ovate-lanceolate, laterally 7–9-ribbed, laterally yellowish brown to dark brown medially brownish, reddish, or greenish, ovate, or ovate-deltate, medially 3-ribbed, 1.8–2.7(–3.4) × (1–)1.5–1.8(–2.4) mm, apex acute or subacute.

Flowers

anthers (1–)1.2–1.5(–2.1) mm;

styles (0.7–)1–1.2(–2.2) mm;

stigmas (1.2–)1.8–2.3(–4) mm.

Achenes

(seldom maturing) brown, sessile, ellipsoid, (1.1–)1.3–1.5(–1.6) × 0.3–0.6(–0.8) mm, apex obtuse, surfaces puncticulate.

Cyperus esculentus

Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; BC; NB; ON; QC; nearly worldwide
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 4 (3 in the flora).

Cyperus esculentus is a widespread and polymorphic species. Although seven varieties have been recognized (G. Kükenthal (1935–1936), recent studies based primarily on spikelet features provided support for four varieties (P. Schippers et al. 1995). Cyperus esculentus var. esculentus is restricted to the Old World.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
1. Spikelets ascending-erect; floral scales deltate-ovate, widest ca. 1/4–1/3 of length.
var. heermannii
1. Spikelets divaricate; floral scales ovate to ovate-lanceolate, widest at midlength.
→ 2
2. Spikelets (1.2–)1.5–2 mm wide; floral scales 1.8–2.7 mm; anthers (1–)1.3(–1.6) mm; styles (0.7–)1–1.2 mm; stigmas (1.2–)1.8(–2.5) mm.
var. leptostachyus
2. Spikelets 2.4–3 mm wide; floral scales (2.7–) 2.9–3.4(–3.6)mm; anthers (1.2–)1.3–2(–2.1) mm; styles (0.9–)1.3–2(–2.2) mm; stigmas (2–) 2.3–2.8(–4) mm.
var. macrostachyus
Source FNA vol. 23.
Parent taxa Cyperaceae > Cyperus > subg. Cyperus
Sibling taxa
C. acuminatus, C. aggregatus, C. alopecuroides, C. amabilis, C. articulatus, C. bipartitus, C. cephalanthus, C. compressus, C. croceus, C. cuspidatus, C. dentatus, C. dentoniae, C. diandrus, C. difformis, C. digitatus, C. dipsaceus, C. distans, C. distinctus, C. drummondii, C. echinatus, C. elegans, C. entrerianus, C. eragrostis, C. erythrorhizos, C. fendlerianus, C. filicinus, C. filiculmis, C. filiformis, C. flavescens, C. flavicomus, C. floribundus, C. fugax, C. fuligineus, C. fuscus, C. giganteus, C. gracilis, C. granitophilus, C. grayi, C. grayoides, C. haspan, C. hermaphroditus, C. houghtonii, C. hypopitys, C. hystricinus, C. involucratus, C. iria, C. laevigatus, C. lancastriensis, C. lanceolatus, C. lecontei, C. lentiginosus, C. ligularis, C. lupulinus, C. manimae, C. microiria, C. mutisii, C. niger, C. ochraceus, C. odoratus, C. onerosus, C. ovatus, C. owanii, C. oxylepis, C. pallidicolor, C. papyrus, C. parishii, C. pilosus, C. planifolius, C. plukenetii, C. polystachyos, C. prolifer, C. prolixus, C. pseudothyrsiflorus, C. pseudovegetus, C. pumilus, C. reflexus, C. refractus, C. retroflexus, C. retrofractus, C. retrorsus, C. rotundus, C. sanguinolentus, C. schweinitzii, C. serotinus, C. seslerioides, C. setigerus, C. spectabilis, C. sphacelatus, C. sphaerolepis, C. squarrosus, C. strigosus, C. surinamensis, C. tetragonus, C. thyrsiflorus, C. virens
Subordinate taxa
C. esculentus var. heermannii, C. esculentus var. leptostachyus, C. esculentus var. macrostachyus
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 45. (1753)
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