Family: Cyperaceae
Author: L.f.
Bibliography: Suppl. Pl.: 103 (1782)
Year: 1782
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Cyperus
Vegetable: Unknown
Observations: Tropics & Subtropics
Description
Piedmont flatsedge, scientifically known as Cyperus distans, is a species belonging to the family Cyperaceae. This plant is widely observed across tropical and subtropical regions, thriving in a variety of warm climates characterized by ample sunlight and diverse ecological conditions.
Originally documented in the late 18th century, Cyperus distans’s classification was first described in the supplement to “Species Plantarum” in 1782 by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus the Younger, often referenced as L.f. His comprehensive work in taxonomy helped to identify and categorize this species among the extensive Cyperaceae family.
Commonly referred to as Piedmont flatsedge, this herbaceous plant is part of a genus that encompasses numerous sedge species, many of which share similar morphological traits. Cyperus distans typically exhibits a tufted growth habit with sharp, triangular stems and narrow, grass-like leaves. The plant’s reproductive structures are distinctive, with clustered spikelets that often contribute to its identification.
Due to its adaptability, Piedmont flatsedge can be found in a variety of habitats within the tropics and subtropics, ranging from wetlands and marshes to drier upland areas. Its ecological presence is significant, as it often plays a role in soil stabilization and providing a habitat or food resource for various wildlife.
With its long history of botanical study and widespread occurrence, Cyperus distans remains an important species for ecological research, conservation efforts, and understanding plant diversity within the Cyperaceae family. Its resilience and adaptability are reflective of the broader genus Cyperus, which encompasses plants capable of thriving in a wide array of environmental conditions.
Common Names
Eng: piedmont flatsedge, piedmont flat sedge, slender cyperus
En: Piedmont flatsedge, Piedmont flat sedge, Slender cyperus
Synonyms
- Mariscus longibracteatus var. keniensis ((Kük.) Maquet)
- Cyperus distans var. densiflorus (Kük.)
- Cyperus longibracteatus var. rubrotinctus ((Cherm.) Kük.)
- Cyperus kurrii (Steud.)
- Cyperus longibracteatus var. niger ((C.B.Clarke) Lye)
- Cyperus graminicola (Steud.)
- Cyperus keniensis (Kük.)
- Cyperus distans f. pallidior (Kük.)
- Mariscus keniensis ((Kük.) S.S.Hooper)
- Cyperus distans var. pseudonutans (Kük.)
- Cyperus distans f. pachyanthos (Kük.)
- Cyperus distans var. niger (C.B.Clarke)
- Cyperus longibracteatus var. subdistans (Kük.)
- Mariscus bojeri (C.B.Clarke)
- Cyperus purpureovaginatus (Boeckeler)
- Mariscus longibracteatus (Cherm.)
- Cyperus nutans (Sieber ex C.Presl)
- Cyperus distans var. crassispiculosus (R.Gross & Kük.)
- Cyperus schraderianus (Mart. ex Steud.)
- Cyperus rubrotinctus ((Cherm.) Kük.)
- Mariscus rubrotinctus (Cherm.)
- Cyperus distans f. capillarioides (Kük.)
- Cyperus squamulatus (Steud.)
- Cyperus distans var. rubrotinctus ((Cherm.) Lye)
- Cyperus longibracteatus ((Cherm.) Kük.)
- Cyperus distans subsp. longibracteatus ((Cherm.) Lye)
Distribution
- Andaman Is. (native)
- Angola (native)
- Argentina Northwest (native)
- Ascension (native)
- Assam (native)
- Bangladesh (native)
- Benin (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Borneo (native)
- Botswana (native)
- Brazil North (native)
- Brazil Northeast (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Burkina (native)
- Burundi (native)
- Cambodia (native)
- Cameroon (native)
- Caroline Is. (native)
- Central African Repu (native)
- China South-Central (native)
- China Southeast (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Comoros (native)
- Congo (native)
- Dominican Republic (native)
- East Himalaya (native)
- Ecuador (native)
- Equatorial Guinea (native)
- Ethiopia (native)
- Florida (native)
- Gabon (native)
- Galápagos (native)
- Gambia (native)
- Ghana (native)
- Guinea (native)
- Guinea-Bissau (native)
- Gulf of Guinea Is. (native)
- Hainan (native)
- Honduras (native)
- India (native)
- Ivory Coast (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Jawa (native)
- Kenya (native)
- KwaZulu-Natal (native)
- Laos (native)
- Leeward Is. (native)
- Lesser Sunda Is. (native)
- Liberia (native)
- Madagascar (native)
- Malawi (native)
- Malaya (native)
- Mali (native)
- Maluku (native)
- Mauritius (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Mozambique (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Nansei-shoto (native)
- Nepal (native)
- New Guinea (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Nicobar Is. (native)
- Nigeria (native)
- North Carolina (native)
- Northern Provinces (native)
- Peru (native)
- Philippines (native)
- Puerto Rico (native)
- Queensland (native)
- Rodrigues (native)
- Rwanda (native)
- Réunion (native)
- Senegal (native)
- Seychelles (native)
- Sierra Leone (native)
- Somalia (native)
- South China Sea (native)
- Sri Lanka (native)
- St.Helena (native)
- Sudan (native)
- Sulawesi (native)
- Sumatera (native)
- Swaziland (native)
- Taiwan (native)
- Tanzania (native)
- Thailand (native)
- Togo (native)
- Trinidad-Tobago (native)
- Uganda (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Venezuelan Antilles (native)
- Vietnam (native)
- West Himalaya (native)
- Western Australia (native)
- Windward Is. (native)
- Zambia (native)
- Zaïre (native)
- Zimbabwe (native)
- Fiji (introduced)
Additional Images
Leaf
Taken Dec 27, 2021 by Maarten Vanhove (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2713460)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:301880-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Cyperus distans L.f.)