Cyperaceae

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Sedge
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Cyperaceae
Cyperus polystachyos flower head
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Cyperaceae
Juss.[1]
Genera

94, see text[2]

The Cyperaceae (

genera,[3][4] the largest being the "true sedges" (genus Carex[5][6]) with over 2,000 species.[7]

Distribution

Cyperaceae species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in

sedge meadows
.

Classification

Some species superficially resemble the closely 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 which has a round cross-section) and leaves that are spirally arranged in three ranks. In comparison, grasses have alternate leaves, forming two ranks.[8][9][10]

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 (Cyperus rotundus, a common lawn weed), and white star sedge (Rhynchospora colorata).

Features

Members of this family are characterised by the formation of

Proteacea, which help uptake of nutrients such as phosphorus from poor soil.[11]

Evolution

Researchers have identified sedges occurring at least as early as the Eocene epoch.[12]

Genera

As of 2024, 94 genera are accepted in Kew's Plants of the World Online:[2]

References

  1. hdl:10654/18083
    .
  2. ^ a b "Cyperaceae". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  3. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1. Archived
    from the original on 29 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  4. ISBN 978-1-84246-199-0
    .
  5. ^ "Sedge family – definition and more from the free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". Merriam-Webster. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  6. ^ Milne, Lorus Johnson; Milne, Margery Joan Greene (1975). Living plants of the world. Random House. p. 301.
  7. S2CID 19514206
    .
  8. ^ "Grasslike non-grasses". Backyard Nature. Archived from the original on 5 March 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  9. ^ Ball, Peter W.; Reznicek, A. A.; Murray, David F. (2002). "Cyperaceae". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 23. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
  10. ^ Brian R. Speer (29 September 1995). "Glumiflorae: More on Morphology". University of California, Berkeley. Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2007.
  11. ^ 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". Plant, Cell & Environment. 29 (10): 1989–1999.
    PMID 16930324
    .
  12. ^ Shribbs, John (2021). "Sedges in our wetlands". Petaluma Wetlands Alliance. Retrieved 21 February 2024. 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.

External links

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