Umbrella Plant
Cyperus alternifolius
Also known as Galingale, Papyrus, Umbrella Sedge
- Habit
- Herb
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal & more
- Flowering
- Throughout the year
How to identify Umbrella Plant
Identify Umbrella Plant by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a herb habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Ornamental umbrella-shaped bract whorl (umbrella plant).
- Confirm flower colour: Green.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: Throughout the year.
- In India, compare location records such as Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Karnataka and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Cyperaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Umbrella Plant.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Cyperus alternifolius
- Genus
- Cyperus
- Family
- Cyperaceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Habitat
- Plains, often grown as ornamental
- Habitat type
- Cultivated
- Native to
- East Africa
- Distribution
- East Africa
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand
- Flowering & fruiting
- Throughout the year
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Alternate
Typical of the Cyperaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- GreenrecordedGreen or greenish
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Spike
- Fruit
- Achene
Characters marked “recorded” are for Umbrella Plant itself; the rest are typical of the Cyperaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Nepali
- छातामोथे
About Umbrella Plant
Umbrella Plant (Cyperus alternifolius) belongs to the Cyperaceae family, where it grows as a herb. In India it has been recorded in Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal and 9 other states. It grows in plains, often grown as ornamental. It flowers and fruits through much of the year.
Cyperaceae
Sedge family
Umbrella Plant belongs to the Cyperaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Cyperaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides