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.
Browse all 24 species ↓
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
All 24 species in CYPERACEAE
- Umbrella Plant, Galingale, Papyrus, Umbrella SedgeCyperus alternifolius
- Old Gold Flat SedgeCyperus cyperinus
- Slender CyperusCyperus distans
- Star SedgeCyperus dubius
- Rice Flat SedgeCyperus iria
- Whitehead SpikesedgeCyperus kyllingia
- PapyrusCyperus papyrus
- Nut Grass, Purple Flat SedgeCyperus rotundus
- Bearded Flat SedgeCyperus squarrosus
- NutgrassCyperus stoloniferus
- Star FimbryFimbristylis lawiana
- Angled-Stem FimbryFimbristylis tetragona
- Umbrella GrassFuirena ciliaris
- Jointed FlatsedgeKyllinga brevifolia
- Whitehead Spike SedgeKyllinga nemoralis
- Annual Flat-SedgePycreus pumilus
- Two-Color Beak-SedgeRhynchospora wightiana
- Jointed SedgeSchoenoplectiella articulata
- Rock BulrushSchoenoplectus juncoides
- Cyperus paniceus
- Cyperus pulchellus
- Fuirena trilobites
- Kyllinga bulbosa
- Pycreus atroglumosus
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