Cyperus haspan L.

Description based on material from India and Africa. Kern (Fl. Malesiana 1974) claimed that correct spelling of epithet should be "halpan", which appears not to be true [Wilson, Cyperaceae Newsletter 9: 8. 1991; and Telopea 5: 598. 1994].

Herbs, perennial, cespitose, shortly rhizomatous. Culms trigonous, (2–)25–60(–100) cm × 1–4 mm, soft (flattened in drying), glabrous. Leaves usually reduced to sheaths, occasionally with blades, flat to V-shaped, (3–)10–30 cm × (1–)2.5–5 mm. Inflorescences: heads loosely digitate; rays (5–)10–12(–15), 1–15(–20) cm; 2d order rays usually present, (1–)6–12(–25) mm; 3d order rays sometimes present, 1–6 mm; bracts 2(–3), horizontal to ascending at 30–60°, longer (3–)6–18 cm × 2–4 mm, shorter (0.5–)2.5–6.5 cm × 1–2(–3) mm. Spikelets 1–15, linear-lanceoloid, ± compressed-quadrangular, 3–18 × 1–1.6 mm; floral scales 10–20(–40), laterally reddish to greenish brown, dull, often clear-edged, medially greenish, laterally 1-ribbed, medially 1-ribbed, oblong to obovate, 1–1.5(–1.9) × 0.8–1 mm, apex mucronate, glabrous except for cluster of crystalline prickles at apex. Flowers: stamens 3; anthers 0.3–0.5 mm; styles 0.4–0.9 mm; stigmas 0.5–0.8(–1.3) mm. Achenes white or reddish brown, stipitate, globose to obovoid or ellipsoid, 0.5–0.6(–0.7) × 0.3–0.4(–0.5) mm, base nearly cuneate, stipe 0.1 × 0.1–0.2 mm, apex obtuse to acute, apiculate or entire, surfaces granular to papillose.

Annual or perennial, 15-40 cm. Roots fibrous, reddish. Rhizome short, horizontal or ascending, with short internodes. Stem 1-2 mm diam., sharply trigonous, sides concave, smooth. Leaves c. half of stem length; sheaths up to 10 cm, usually distinctly reddish, soft, mouth oblique or, in leaves with blades, nearly straight; ligule 0; blades few, up to c. 15 cm, 2-3 mm wide, flat or channelled, margins and keel smooth, apex acute, slightly scabrous. Inflorescence a compound anthelodium, up to 90 mm; 1-2 bracts foliose, up to 70 mm, shorter than inflorescence; primary branches 7-12, up to 70 mm; secondary anthelodia 5-20 mm long, bracts glume-like; cluster of spikes 5-10 mm, formed by (1-)3-8 sessile spikes; spikes 3-12 x c. 1 mm, with 8-35 glumes; glume-like bract c. 1 mm, glume-like prophyll clasping, rounded, bi-nerved, sterile, c. 0.8; rachis c. 0.5 mm wide, tetrangular, reddish brown, internodes c. 1 mm, not clearly winged; glumes 1.3-1.6 mm, cymbiform, acute, slightly keeled near slightly recurved and barbed apex, sides brown or reddish-brown, obscurely bi-nerved, glossy, margins narrowly scarious. Stamens 3. Nut 1-1.4 x 0.8-1 mm, obovoid or ellipsoid, trigonous, white-reticulate or white-papillose.

Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tex., Va.; Mexico; Central America; South America; Asia; Africa; Australia.

Distribution: In tropics of Old and New World; Africa S of Sahara, East Africa, Pakistan, India eastwards.

Fl. Per.: July - November.

Fruiting summer.

Swales between dunes, marshes, pond shores; 0–200m.

Rice fields (common acc. to Cooke, 1908 and Stewart, 1972).

Cyperus autumnalis Vahl; C. haspan subsp. juncoides (Lamarck) Kükenthal; C. haspan var. americanus Boeckeler; C. juncoides Lamarck

Cyperus haspan is a dwarf papyrus sedge in the Cyperaceae. It is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions in Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia (Iran, India, China, Philippines, Indonesia, etc.), New Guinea, Australia, South America, West Indies, Central America, southern Mexico and the southeastern United States (from Texas to Virginia).