Cyperus hamulosus is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae. It is native from Bulgaria east to Mongolia, and from Morocco in North Africa down to Namibia in the south. It has also been introduced to western parts of Australia.
Description
This annual herb-like sedge typically grows to a height of 4 to 5 centimetres (1.6 to 2.0 in) and has a curry-like smell. In Australia, it blooms between April and May, producing green flowers.
- The culms are smooth with a triangular cross-section, reaching a height of 1 to 5 cm (0.39 to 1.97 in) and a diameter of approximately 0.5 mm (0.020 in).
- The leaves are often shorter than the culms but can be as long, with a width of about 1 mm (0.039 in).
- The inflorescences are head-like, typically having 2 to 3 branches up to 1 cm (0.39 in) in length. These bear cylindrical to spherical spikes with a diameter of about 0.6 cm (0.24 in).
Taxonomy
It was described by the botanist Friedrich August Marschall von Bieberstein in 1808, as part of the work Flora Taurico Caucasica.
Synonyms
There are eight known synonyms, including:
- Cyperus aristatus subsp. hamulosus
- Dichostylis hamulosa
- Isolepis hamulosa
- Mariscus hamulosus
- Scirpus hamulosus
Distribution
- Found in temperate climatic regions from Eastern Europe to Central Asia
- Also present in tropical parts of West Africa
- Naturalised in Western Australia, especially around the edges of lakes in the Mid West, Gascoyne, and Goldfields-Esperance regions
- Grows in gravelly sandy-clay soils
- Also found in the Northern Territory