Culms and leaves with Kranz (chlorocyperoid) anatomy. Inflorescences: spikes loose to dense, ovoid to cylindric; rachilla falling early or persistent, wingless or winged. Spikelets: if rachilla articulate at base, spikelets borne in spikes on conspicuous rachis, falling as achenes mature, if rachilla continuous at base, persistent after achenes mature; floral scales persistent or deciduous; stamens 3 (1, less frequently 2 in C. squarrosus and C. granitophilus). Flowers: stigmas 3. Achenes trigonous, sometimes dorsiventrally flattened.

Distribution

Temperate and tropical regions.

Discussion

Species ca. 350–400 (59 in the flora).

Selected References

Carter, J. R. and S. D. Jones. 1997. Notes on the Cyperus retroflexus complex (Cyperaceae) with three nomenclatural proposals. Rhodora 99: 319–334.

Lower Taxa

Cyperus aggregatus, Cyperus alopecuroides, Cyperus articulatus, Cyperus cephalanthus, Cyperus compressus, Cyperus croceus, Cyperus dentoniae, Cyperus digitatus, Cyperus dipsaceus, Cyperus distans, Cyperus echinatus, Cyperus elegans, Cyperus erythrorhizos, Cyperus esculentus, Cyperus fendlerianus, Cyperus filiculmis, Cyperus floribundus, Cyperus fuligineus, Cyperus giganteus, Cyperus granitophilus, Cyperus grayi, Cyperus grayoides, Cyperus hermaphroditus, Cyperus houghtonii, Cyperus hypopitys, Cyperus hystricinus, Cyperus iria, Cyperus lancastriensis, Cyperus lentiginosus, Cyperus ligularis, Cyperus lupulinus, Cyperus manimae, Cyperus microiria, Cyperus mutisii, Cyperus ovatus, Cyperus owanii, Cyperus oxylepis, Cyperus pallidicolor, Cyperus papyrus, Cyperus parishii, Cyperus pilosus, Cyperus planifolius, Cyperus plukenetii, Cyperus prolixus, Cyperus pseudothyrsiflorus, Cyperus refractus, Cyperus retroflexus, Cyperus retrofractus, Cyperus retrorsus, Cyperus rotundus, Cyperus schweinitzii, Cyperus setigerus, Cyperus spectabilis, Cyperus sphacelatus, Cyperus sphaerolepis, Cyperus squarrosus, Cyperus strigosus, Cyperus tetragonus, Cyperus thyrsiflorus