Cyperus cyperinus (Retz.) Suringar, Cyperaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Mariscus cyperinus (Retz.) Vahl

Common name(s): [more details]

English: long-headed sedge

French: cyperacee à grosse tete, cyperacee à tete

Tahitian: mou upo tutu, mo‘u upo‘o, mue mue

Habit:  sedge

Description:  "Perennials with short, woody rhizomes clothed with brown fibers; culms solitary or few together, erect, 20-70 cm tall, trigonous, smooth, thickened at base.  Leaves several, basal, herbaceous, blades linear, shorter than the culm, 5-7 mm wide, flat, plicate; sheaths pale green, tinged purplish pink.  Inflorescences umbelliform, simple, open or sometimes nearly head-like, the rays 6-10, 0-5 cm long, the spikes green, terminal and solitary on each ray, cylindrical or oblong, narrowed at base, 1.5-3 cm long, 8-12 mm wide, densely bearing numerous spikelets; involucral bracts 4-10, the lower few longer than the inflorescence; spikelets bearing 4-7 glumes and 1-2 (3) fertile flowers, spreading to ascending, linear-lanceolate, subterete, 4-6.5 mm long, ca. 1 mm in diameter, rachilla winged, jointed above the prophyll; glumes green, glaucous, and eventually tinged yellowish brown, membranous to thin and chartaceous, appressed, elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 3-3.5 mm long, 1-1.2 mm wide, inrolled, 3-4-nerved on both sides of midnerve, the keel green, convex, apex obtuse or abruptly acute; style slightly more than 2 mm long.  Achenes linear-oblong, trigonous, ca. 2 mm long, ca. 0.8 mm wide" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1416-1417, 1900).

"Tufted herb, culms to about 50 cm tall, with small basal tubers; leaves sometimes longer than culm, inflorescence of several short, nearly cylindrical spikes (sometimes sessile); bracts elongate; spikes 5-10, each nearly 2-2.5 cm long; spikelets about 4.5 mm long, 2-3-flowered, crowded, directed obliquely upward; achene shorter than glumes; trigonal, reddish-brown"  (Stone, 1970; p. 168).

Habitat/ecology:  "Uncommon to occasional in disturbed places" (Whistler, 1988; p. 43). In Hawai‘i, "occurring in open, grassy sites" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1416-1417). In Fiji, "it occurs near sea level on seashores, roadsides, and hillsides, and in open places, villages and rice fields" (Smith, 1979; p. 256).  In Tonga, "occasional in low, wet areas" (Yuncker, 1959; pp. 68-69).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Indo-malaysia to the Bonin Islands and eastern Australia (Stone, 1970; p. 168). Fosberg et al. (1987; p. 65) lists as native to Micronesia. "A common weed of the Paleotropics, Australia, and many Pacific islands" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1416-1417).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Vouchers cited: Garber 649, Yuncker 9132, Whistler 1387, Whistler 3331, Whistler 3599
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 15) Vouchers cited: Falanruw 2326 (US), Fosberg 31571 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 15) Voucher cited: Falanruw 1900 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 15)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Asuncion Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Asuncion Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 15) Voucher cited: Falanruw 2300 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Guguan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Guguan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 15) Vouchers cited: Falanruw 1837 (US), Falanruw 1830 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1977) (p. 28) Voucher cited: Lamoureux 4879 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 15) Vouchers cited: Moore 303 (US), Anderson 532 (US, BISH, Fo, NY, L, P), Anderson 554 (US), Bonham 6 (US, BISH)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 15) Vouchers cited: Falanruw 1796 (US), Evans 2420 (US, BISH, Fo, NY)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2007)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Tol Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island		Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (2005) (p. 7) Voucher cited: Lorence 9390 (PTBG)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 121) Vouchers cited: Glassman 2396 (US), Glassman 2425 (US), Glassman 2722 (US), Kanehira 768 (NY)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ovalau Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 256-257) Voucher cited: Milne 281
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 256-257) Voucher cited: DA 8912
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 256-257) Vouchers cited: DA 8754, DA 12030
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 256-257) Vouchers cited: DA 10741, DA 7826, DA 729, DA 1326, DA 7773, DA 429
Fiji Fiji Islands	Yanutha Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 256-257) Voucher cited: DA 9034
Fiji Fiji Islands	Yasawas Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 256-257) Voucher cited: St. John 18171
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 321) Voucher cited: Fosberg 63052
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1987) (p. 17) Found once, not seen in 1985. Voucher cited: Raynal 17828
French Polynesia Society Islands	Mehetia (Mahetia, Meetia) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 321) Voucher cited: St. John 14207
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 321) Voucher cited: Grant 5403
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 321) Voucher cited: BRY 26463
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 321) Vouchers cited: Florence 3337, BRY 26052
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rapa Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 321)
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 321)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 168) Vouchers cited: Stone 3827 (GUAM), Stone 4104 (GUAM), MacGregor 418, Nelson 239, Moore 109, Bryan 1233, Rodin 675, Moran 4533
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1416-1417, 1900)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	native	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 34) East Maui. Voucher cited: Starr, Starr & Wysong 040331-1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1416-1417, 1900)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	native	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1416-1417, 1900)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands		Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 65)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 114)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 43)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 94)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 89)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Tofua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 86) Voucher cited: Scarth-Johnson 101
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 68-69) "Occasional throughout Tonga".
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 86) Vouchers cited: Parks 16147, Parks 16375
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 86) Voucher cited: Setchell & Parks 15524
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 68-69) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15229
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 86) Vouchers cited: Crosby 175, Soakai 1062 (ID?)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 68-69) Voucher cited: Yuncker 16033
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Burkill, I. H. (1900) (p. 58)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 43)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 114)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

Additional information:  Additional online information about Cyperus cyperinus is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Cyperus cyperinus may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Burkill, I. H. 1900. The flora of Vavau, one of the Tonga Islands, with a short account of its vegetation by Charles Steele Crosby. Lin. Jour. Bot. 35:20-65.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1975. Vascular flora of the northern Marianas Islands. Smithsonian Contrib. Bot. 22:1-45.

Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. 1977. Additional records of vascular plants from the northern Mariana Islands. Micronesica 13: 27-31.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. 1987. Flora of Maupiti, Society Islands. The Smithsonian Institution. Atoll Research Bulletin 294:1-70.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1987. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian monocotyledonae. Micronesica 20:1-126.

Glassman, S. F. 1952. The flora of Ponape. Bishop Mus. Bull. 209: 1-152.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 391 pp.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim. 2005. Checklist of the plants of Kosrae. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 23 pp.

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

Smith, Albert C. 1979. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 1. 494 pp.

Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. 2006. New plant records from the Hawaiian Archipelago. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2004-2005. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 87:31-43.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1990. The weeds of Manu‘a [unpublished checklist]. 18 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1992. Flora of Tonga [unpublished checklist]. 107 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.