Cyperus esculentus

Botanical Description

Cyperus esculentus is a perennial grass-like plant producing solitary culms 10 - 90cm tall from numerous, spreading, underground stolons. The apex of the stolons swells to form ellipsoid to globose tubers 10 - 18mm long[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The plant is sometimes cultivated commercially for its edible tuber in the warm temperate to tropical zones. It also has a range of other local uses, for food, medicine and craft material. Cyperus esculentus is cosmopolitan in distribution with no major threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ]. In warm climates Cyperus esculentus is a serious weed of cultivation. It has been labelled, along with Cyperus rotundus, as the world's worst weed![ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. It is much hardier than was once imagined and is becoming a weed in N. America where it is found as far north as Alaska[ 95 Title Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Publication Author Saunders. C. F. Publisher Dover Publications Year 1976 ISBN 0-486-23310-3 Description Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide. ].