Cyperus odoratus L.   =Cyperus ferax   Cyperaceae (Sedge Family)   Native   Coarse Cyperus   Fragrant Umbrella Sedge

                       September Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Plants annual, culms 1 to several, stout, smooth, glabrous, triangular, the angles rounded, 20-50 cm. tall; lvs. several to many, as long as or longer than the culms, the blades plicate, channeled above, 3-8 mm. wide, the margin with minute, stout prickles; invol. lvs. several, 5-30 cm. long, very unequal in length, plicate; infl. simulating a compound spike, the rays arising from the top of the culm and umbellately spreading, branching into secondary rays each in the axil of an involucel leaf, the rays becoming enlarged in age; spikelets linear, subterete, 10-25 mm. long, about 2 mm. wide, disarticulating above the sterile basal pair of scales when ripe; scales 7-9 nerved, yellowish-brown, ovate, obtuse, sheathing the rachis.

Habitat:  Common in moist sandy places at low elevs.; several Plant Communities; cismontane s. Calif. to Cent. V.; w. Mojave Desert; Imperial V.; transcontinental; Asia.  July-Oct.

Name:  Greek, cypeiros, the classical name.  Latin, ferax, fertile, rich.  (Jaeger 102).  Latin, odoratus, sweet smelling.  (Jaeger 171).

General:  Rare in the study area, found in only one place, and this along Back Bay Dr., at the base of the hill near its termination at Eastbluff Dr.  There is a seep here, from the bank which fills what was a gully at one time.  (my comments).       Indians of the lower Colorado desert used digging sticks of various materials to dig cattail rhizomes, Typha spp., yellow nut grass, Cyperus esculentus, and coarse Cyperus, Cyperus odoratus.  The Cyperus tubers were parched, pounded in a mortar and eaten.  (Campbell 74).         A genus of about 600 spp., of  trop. and temp. regions.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 896).

Text Ref:  Abrams Vol. I 261; Hickman, Ed. 1139; Mason 279; Roberts 43.

Photo Ref:  Aug 1 84 # 24; Sept 1 86 # 1; Aug, Sept, Oct 88 # 5,6.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by F. Roberts.

First Found:  August 1984.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 309

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 5/6/05.

                                              August Photo