Family: Cyperaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Cent. Pl. II: 6 (1756)
Year: 1756
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Cyperus
Vegetable: False
Observations: Trop. & Subtrop. Old World
Description
Dirty-dora, known scientifically as Cyperus difformis, is a fascinating plant species that belongs to the family Cyperaceae. This species was first described by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus in his work Cent. Pl. II: 6, published in 1756.
Dirty-dora is predominantly found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, where it thrives in the warm and often humid climates. This broad distribution includes various parts of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, indicating its adaptability to different environmental conditions prevalent in these areas.
The plant is characterized by its typical sedge-like appearance, often growing in clusters with slender, grass-like stems. The leaves are narrow and long, contributing to its grassy look, while the plant itself can vary somewhat in form, which is reflected in its scientific name difformis—meaning “different form” or “irregular.”
Dirty-dora is notable in its ecosystems, particularly in wetlands and areas with poor drainage. As a member of the diverse Cyperaceae family, it plays a significant role in maintaining the health and stability of wetland environments. Its ability to grow in challenging conditions also makes it an important species for studying ecological resilience and adaptation.
Given its prevalence across varied landscapes of the tropical and subtropical Old World, Dirty-dora continues to be a subject of interest both for ecologists studying wetland ecosystems and for botanists intrigued by its diverse forms and adaptive strategies.
Common Names
Fra: souchet difforme
Eng: variable flatsedge, dirty-dora, rice sedge, small-flower umbrella-plant, variable flat sedge, smallflower umbrella sedge, variable flat-sedge
Ita: zigolo delle risaie
Spa: cortadera, juncia de agua, lleivun, junco de agua
Por: junca-diforme, junça diforme
Hun: rizspalka
Ara: adjir
En: Dirty-Dora, Small-flower umbrella-plant, Variable flat sedge, Rice sedge, Variable flatsedge, One-arm Sedge, Smallflower Umbrella Sedge, Variable Flat-sedge, Smallflower Umbrellaplant, Small-flowered nutsedge
Ar: سعد (سِعْد، سَعْد)، ديس (دِيس), سمار (سَمار، سُمار), عجيره (عَجيره)، عدجير (عَدْجير), سعد متنوع, Adjir
Bn: জলঘাস
Ca: Junça diforme
Zh: 异型莎草, 異型莎草, 異花莎草
Fr: Souchet Difforme, Souchet brun, Souchet jaune, Souchet long, Souchet odorant
De: Mißgestaltetes Cypergras
He: גומא דו-אנפין
Hu: Rizspalka
It: Zigolo delle risaie
Pt: Junca-diforme, Junça Diforme
Ru: Сыть разнородная
Es: Juncia de agua, Cortadera, Lleivun, Junco de Agua
Zh-tw: 異花莎草
Th: กกขนาก
Zh-hant: 異花莎草
Synonyms
- Cyperus holoschoenoides (Jan ex Schult.)
- Cyperus subrotundus (Llanos)
- Cyperus difformis f. maximus (C.B.Clarke)
- Cyperus difformis f. humilis (Debeaux)
- Cyperus goeringii (Steud.)
- Cyperus oryzetorum (Steud.)
- Cyperus difformis var. breviglobosus (Kük.)
- Cyperus difformis var. subdecompositus (Kük.)
Distribution
- Afghanistan (native)
- Albania (native)
- Andaman Is. (native)
- Angola (native)
- Azores (native)
- Bangladesh (native)
- Benin (native)
- Botswana (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Burkina (native)
- Burundi (native)
- Cameroon (native)
- Cape Provinces (native)
- Caprivi Strip (native)
- Central African Repu (native)
- Chad (native)
- China North-Central (native)
- China South-Central (native)
- China Southeast (native)
- Comoros (native)
- Congo (native)
- Cook Is. (native)
- Corse (native)
- East Himalaya (native)
- Equatorial Guinea (native)
- Ethiopia (native)
- France (native)
- Free State (native)
- Gabon (native)
- Gambia (native)
- Ghana (native)
- Greece (native)
- Guinea (native)
- Guinea-Bissau (native)
- Gulf of Guinea Is. (native)
- Hainan (native)
- India (native)
- Inner Mongolia (native)
- Iran (native)
- Iraq (native)
- Italy (native)
- Ivory Coast (native)
- Japan (native)
- Jawa (native)
- Kazakhstan (native)
- Kazan-retto (native)
- Kenya (native)
- Kirgizstan (native)
- Korea (native)
- Kriti (native)
- KwaZulu-Natal (native)
- Lebanon-Syria (native)
- Lesotho (native)
- Lesser Sunda Is. (native)
- Liberia (native)
- Madagascar (native)
- Malawi (native)
- Malaya (native)
- Mali (native)
- Manchuria (native)
- Marianas (native)
- Mauritania (native)
- Mauritius (native)
- Mozambique (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Namibia (native)
- Nansei-shoto (native)
- Nepal (native)
- New Guinea (native)
- New South Wales (native)
- Nicobar Is. (native)
- Niger (native)
- Nigeria (native)
- Norfolk Is. (native)
- Northern Provinces (native)
- Northern Territory (native)
- Ogasawara-shoto (native)
- Oman (native)
- Pakistan (native)
- Palestine (native)
- Philippines (native)
- Portugal (native)
- Primorye (native)
- Queensland (native)
- Romania (native)
- Rwanda (native)
- Réunion (native)
- Senegal (native)
- Seychelles (native)
- Sicilia (native)
- Sierra Leone (native)
- Socotra (native)
- Somalia (native)
- South Australia (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sri Lanka (native)
- Sudan (native)
- Sulawesi (native)
- Sumatera (native)
- Swaziland (native)
- Tadzhikistan (native)
- Taiwan (native)
- Tanzania (native)
- Thailand (native)
- Togo (native)
- Tokelau-Manihiki (native)
- Transcaucasus (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Uganda (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- Uzbekistan (native)
- Victoria (native)
- Vietnam (native)
- West Himalaya (native)
- Western Australia (native)
- Xinjiang (native)
- Yemen (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Zambia (native)
- Zaïre (native)
- Zimbabwe (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Arizona (introduced)
- Bolivia (introduced)
- California (introduced)
- Canary Is. (introduced)
- Caroline Is. (introduced)
- Chagos Archipelago (introduced)
- Colombia (introduced)
- Costa Rica (introduced)
- Dominican Republic (introduced)
- Ecuador (introduced)
- Egypt (introduced)
- Fiji (introduced)
- Florida (introduced)
- Georgia (introduced)
- Guyana (introduced)
- Haiti (introduced)
- Hawaii (introduced)
- Idaho (introduced)
- Jamaica (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Libya (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Madeira (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Mexico Northeast (introduced)
- Mexico Northwest (introduced)
- Mexico Southwest (introduced)
- Mississippi (introduced)
- Morocco (introduced)
- Nebraska (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New Mexico (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- Oklahoma (introduced)
- Oregon (introduced)
- Panamá (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Peru (introduced)
- Puerto Rico (introduced)
- Sardegna (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- St.Helena (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Texas (introduced)
- Venezuela (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- Washington (introduced)
- Windward Is. (introduced)
Additional Images
Fruit
Taken Oct 31, 2021 by Pascal DUPUIS (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 10, 2020 by akbar sulaiman (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 1, 2019 by Fennec Aurora (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 12, 2009 by Tela Botanica − Mathieu MENAND (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 12, 2009 by Tela Botanica − Mathieu MENAND (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Aug 12, 2019 by Daniel Bourget (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 1, 2022 by cabana carlos manuel (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 23, 2018 by vini (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 23, 2018 by vini (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 23, 2018 by vini (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Aug 7, 2021 by Diane Tran (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 4, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 7, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 23, 2018 by vini (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 18, 2016 by Tela Botanica − Christian FONSANOU (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Jan 1, 2022 by cabana carlos manuel (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 17, 2019 by Joel Melin (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 18, 2021 by Tali Shapiro (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 14, 2021 by iema_912 Aziema Jiema (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 13, 2022 by Koffi Kouman (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Oct 19, 2021 by Sandie (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 4, 2012 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain PIRY (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Jun 27, 2019 by Araceli Pérez (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 1, 1970 by Endemia – Kukenthal G, 1935-36 (cc-by-nc)
Taken Sep 18, 2021 by Tali Shapiro (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/2714796)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:304311-1)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Cyperus difformis L.)
Specifications
Growth habit: Graminoid
Growth
Ph maximum: 7.5
Ph minimum: 7.0
Light: 9
Atmospheric humidity: 9
Soil nutriments: 8