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Cyperaceae

Topic: Biology

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 5 min

The Cyperaceae (/ˌsaɪpəˈreɪsi.iː, -ˌaɪ/) are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large; botanists have described some 5,500 known species in about 90 genera[1][2] – the largest being the "true sedges" (genus Carex),[3][4] with over 2,000 species.[5]

Distribution

Artificial floating island communities made of totora by the Uru peoples in Lake Titicaca

Cyperaceae species are widely distributed with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in tropical Asia and tropical South America. While sedges grow in almost all environments, many thrive in wetlands or in poor soils. Ecological communities dominated by sedges are known as sedgelands or as sedge meadows.

Classification

Some species superficially resemble the closely related rushes and the more distantly related grasses. Features distinguishing members of the sedge family from grasses or rushes are stems with triangular cross-sections (with occasional exceptions, a notable example being the tule that has a round cross-section) and leaves that are spirally arranged in three ranks. In comparison, grasses have alternate leaves, forming two ranks.[6][7] This difference leads to the mnemonic "sedges have edges" in order to tell them apart from generally round rushes or hollow, noded grasses.[8][9]

Some well-known sedges include the water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) and the papyrus sedge (Cyperus papyrus), from which the writing material papyrus was made. This family also includes cotton-grass (Eriophorum), spike-rush (Eleocharis), sawgrass (Cladium), nutsedge or nutgrass (also called chufa, Cyperus esculentus/Cyperus rotundus, a cultivated crop and common weed), white star sedge (Rhynchospora colorata), and umbrella sedge (Cyperus alternifolius), also known as umbrella papyrus

Features

Members of this family are characterised by the formation of dauciform (carrot-like) roots that are an alteration in root morphology that researchers regard as analogous to cluster roots in Proteaceae, which help uptake of nutrients such as phosphorus from poor soil.[10] Like other members of the order Poales, sedges are mostly wind-pollinated, but there are exceptions. Cyperus niveus and Cyperus sphaerocephalus, both with accordingly more conspicuous flowers, are insect-pollinated.[11]

Evolution

Researchers have identified prominent sedges occurring at least as early as the Eocene epoch.[12] Earlier fossils date to the Late Cretaceous.[13]

Genera

As of July 2025, 95 genera are accepted by Kew's Plants of the World Online.[14]

References

  1. ↑ Christenhusz, M. J. M.; Byng, J. W. (2016). "The number of known plants species in the world and its annual increase". Phytotaxa (Magnolia Press) 261 (3): 201–217. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1. Bibcode: 2016Phytx.261..201C. http://biotaxa.org/Phytotaxa/article/download/phytotaxa.261.3.1/20598. Retrieved 14 July 2016. 
  2. ↑ R. Govaerts; D. A. Simpson; with J. Bruhl; T. Egorova; P. Goetghebeur; K. Wilson (2007). Word Checklist of Cyperaceae: Sedges. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 978-1-84246-199-0. 
  3. ↑ "sedge family". Merriam-Webster. https://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedge%20family. 
  4. ↑ Milne, Lorus Johnson; Milne, Margery Joan Greene (1975). Living plants of the world. Random House. p. 301. https://books.google.com/books?id=IKXuAAAAMAAJ. 
  5. ↑ Hipp, Andrew L. (2007). "Nonuniform processes of chromosome evolution in sedges (Carex: Cyperaceae)". Evolution 61 (9): 2175–2194. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00183.x. ISSN 0014-3820. PMID 17767589. 
  6. ↑ "Grasslike non-grasses". Backyard Nature. http://www.backyardnature.net/fl_caryx.htm. 
  7. ↑ Ball, Peter W.; Reznicek, A. A.; Murray, David F. (2002), "Cyperaceae", in Flora of North America Editorial Committee, Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA), 23, New York and Oxford, http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=10246 
  8. ↑ "Telling apart grasses, sedges, rushes | Grasses at a Glance | Illinois Extension | UIUC" (in en). 2023-04-17. https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/grasses-glance/2023-04-17-telling-apart-grasses-sedges-rushes. 
  9. ↑ "Sedges Have Edges . . . (Grasses, Sedges & Rushes)". https://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek060615.html. 
  10. ↑ Shane, Michael W.; Cawthray, Gregory R.; Cramer, Michael D.; Kuo, John; Lambers, Hans (2006). "Specialized 'dauciform' roots of Cyperaceae are structurally distinct, but functionally analogous with 'cluster' roots" (in en). Plant, Cell & Environment 29 (10): 1989–1999. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3040.2006.01574.x. ISSN 0140-7791. PMID 16930324. Bibcode: 2006PCEnv..29.1989S. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-3040.2006.01574.x. 
  11. ↑ Wragg, Peter D.; Johnson, Steven D. (September 2011). "Transition from wind pollination to insect pollination in sedges: experimental evidence and functional traits" (in en). New Phytologist 191 (4): 1128–1140. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03762.x. ISSN 0028-646X. PMID 21585389. Bibcode: 2011NewPh.191.1128W. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03762.x. 
  12. ↑ "Sedges in our wetlands". Petaluma Wetlands Alliance. 2021. https://petalumawetlands.org/wetlands-life/sedges-in-our-wetlands/. "Fossil sedges are known from as early as the Eocene 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya) and modern sedges are very similar to ancient fossils." 
  13. ↑ Khand, Yo.; Badamgarav, D.; Ariunchimeg, Ya.; Barsbold, R. (2000-01-01), Okada, Hakuyu; Mateer, Nlall J., eds., "Cretaceous system in Mongolia and its depositional environments", Developments in Palaeontology and Stratigraphy, Cretaceous Environments of Asia (Elsevier) 17: pp. 49–79, doi:10.1016/s0920-5446(00)80024-2, ISBN 978-0-444-50276-6, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920544600800242, retrieved 2025-09-03 
  14. ↑ "Cyperaceae". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30000197-2. 

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