NameThatPlant.net: Cyperus erythrorhizos

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Cyperus erythrorhizos FAMILY Cyperaceae Go to FSUS key

Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.

Read more about Redroot Flatsedge at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.

This species is frequently confused with C. odoratus, with which it is often closely associated. The neatly quadrangular spikelets with tiny (≤ 1.5 mm), closely imbricate scales (vs. terete, jointed spikelets with > 2 mm, loosely spaced scales) easily distinguish even depauperate plants of C. erythrorhizos at a glance, per Weakley's Flora (2022)

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Cyperus erythrorhizos FAMILY Cyperaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-01-016:

Cyperus erythrorhizos FAMILY Cyperaceae

COMMON NAME:
Redroot Flatsedge

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Cyperus erythrorhizos FAMILY Cyperaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Cyperus erythrorhizos FAMILY Cyperaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 030-01-016:
Cyperus erythrorhizos FAMILY Cyperaceae

2259

Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Annual

Habitat: marshes, ditches, shores, mud flats, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common in Carolina Coastal Plain, rare in GA Mountains (uncommon elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)

CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Simple
Mostly basal

FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Superior ovary
Bisexual

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Cream
Nutlet

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!

If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".

Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".