Cyperus squarrosus
L.Dwarf tufted annual, curry-scented when dried. Culms triquetrous, smooth, 2–15 cm high, to 1.5 mm diam. Leaves not septate-nodulose, as long as culms or shorter, to 2 mm wide. Inflorescence simple with 1–5 branches to 4 cm long, or head-like; spikes or subdigitate clusters oblong-ovoid to globose, to 2 cm diam.; involucral bracts leaf-like, 1 or 2 exceeding inflorescence. Spikelets flattened, numerous per cluster, 4–14 mm long, 2–4 mm wide in side view, 4–30-flowered; rachilla not winged; spikelet mostly falling as unit; glumes acuminate, long-mucronate, with sides 2–4-nerved, hyaline, yellow-brown to red-brown, 1–2.5 mm long (excluding mucro to 1 mm long); stamen 1; style 3-fid. Nut trigonous, narrow-obovoid to linear, red-brown to blackish, one-third to two-thirds as long as body of glume, 0.6–1 mm long, 0.2–0.5 mm diam. Flowers spring–summer.
Also WA, NT, SA, Qld, NSW. Pantropical. Previously regarded as extinct in Victoria until recently rediscovered near Hattah. HIstorically this species has been recorded from ephemerally wet sites on floodplains of the Murray River (Kings Billabong, Hattah Lakes) and the Wimmera.
Wilson, K.L. (1994). Cyperaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 238–356. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
