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Botanical Family · Poales

Cyperaceae

Sedge family

24 speciesOrder Poales8+ well-known plants

The sedge family — superficially grass-like but distinguishable by their solid, 3-angled (triangular) stems. Dominant in wetlands, marshes, and other waterlogged habitats worldwide. Important in wetland ecology and soil stabilisation; papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) produced the world's earliest paper.

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Representative CYPERACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Cyperaceae
Key pattern

Solid, triangular (three-angled) stems without nodes, unlike the round, hollow, jointed stems of true grasses; leaves are arranged in three ranks rather than two, and tiny wind-pollinated flowers hide inside overlapping scales in dense spikelets.

Dominant across wetlands, marshes, and other waterlogged habitats worldwide — the triangular stem alone is often enough to separate this family from grasses at a glance ('sedges have edges').

Identify the species

Which Cyperaceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Cyperaceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
Inflorescence MarkWhat does the flower/seed head look like?
Dense compact cluster
Small rounded globular head
Spreading loose umbel of spikelets
Umbrella-like whorl of long bracts at the tip
Flower ColorWhat color is the flower/seed head?
Golden-brown
Green
White/pale green
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Herb
Low-growing/creeping
Medium tuft
Stem ShapeWhat does the stem look like?
Leafless round/jointed rush-like stem
Leafy triangular stem
Stem ShapeWhat does the stem look like?
Leafless round/jointed rush-like stem
Leafy triangular stem
Flower ColorWhat color is the flower/seed head?
Green
White/pale green
Flower ColorWhat color is the flower/seed head?
Golden-brown
Purple-brown
White

How to recognise the Cyperaceae family

  • 01

    3-angled solid stems ('sedges have edges')

  • 02

    Leaves in 3 ranks (tristichous)

  • 03

    Small wind-pollinated florets in spikelets

Typical leaf characters

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Umbrella Plant, Galingale, Papyrus, Umbrella SedgeCyperus alternifoliusOld Gold Flat SedgeCyperus cyperinusSlender CyperusCyperus distansStar SedgeCyperus dubiusRice Flat SedgeCyperus iriaWhitehead SpikesedgeCyperus kyllingiaPapyrusCyperus papyrusNut Grass, Purple Flat SedgeCyperus rotundus

All 24 species in CYPERACEAE

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