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Cyperus papyrus

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Poales Family: Cyperaceae Genus: Cyperus

bulrush, kaluhā [kaluha], papyrus, papyrus sedge

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Tall perennials.

Stems: culms loosely tufted along short, woody, decumbent rhizomes, obtusely trigonous, 100–500 cm tall, 1–3 cm in diameter in lower part.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Leaves reduced to bladeless sheaths or the sterile shoots occasionally developing short blades. Margins entire. Veins parallel. Sheathing; basal sheaths brown, coriaceous, truncate at orifice. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in corymbs large, compound, primary rays numerous, slender, subequal, 10–30 cm long, secondary rays 3–5, spikelets in cylindrical spikes 1–2 cm long; involucral bracts 4–10, lanceolate, much shorter than rays, prophylls at base of rays usually tinged purple, up to 3 cm long; spikelets 6– 20–flowered, linear, 6–10 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, rachilla winged; glumes pale brown, ovate–elliptic to elliptic, obtuse. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Corolla (petals) absent. Ovary superior; stigmas 3.

Fruit: Achenes brown; oblong; trigonous; apex obtuse. Seeds 1; seed coat thin; free from pericarp; embryo basal; endosperm abundant.

Ploidy: 2n = ca. 102

Habitat: Cultivated in water gardens and sparingly naturalized at least by offshoots.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean
Wind

Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 47 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1398 (K); Staples et al. 2003:10 (H); Staples & Herbst 2005:656 (KEY, DESCR); Faccenda 2023b:76 (O)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Cyperus papyrus Waipahu Cultural Gardens, 94-695 Waipahu St In frequently flooded soil, growing in full sun. Preserved_Specimen Plant forming dense clumps, stalks up to 2.5 m ht. Lau, J. 2112 Oahu BISH 1986-03-10
2 Cyperus papyrus Lyon Arboretum cultivated Preserved_Specimen short stalky rhizome Herbst, D.R. 1372 Oahu BISH 1969-02-03
3 Cyperus papyrus Reservoir off of Old Nuuanu Pali Rd. near Bureau of Water Supply Pump Station. Emergent from mucky silt on reservoir edge. Preserved_Specimen Culms triangular, spongy inside, to 3 m tall, very large colony present Faccenda, K. 2186 Oahu BISH 2022-01-09
4 Cyperus papyrus Hauaala Rd, Kapaa, at roadside N of Kapaa On banks of Kapaa River. Extensive naturalized stand. Preserved_Specimen Culms ca. 2 m ht, strongly triangular, w. white spongy pith, dull green w. yellow-green flecking, at apex nearly pure yellow w. some brown marking. Head of spikelets nearly round, to 60 cm broad, subtended by bracts stiny brown w.in, brown tinted purple w.out; spikelets green, in pale brown basal sheaths. Hume, L. 490 Kauai BISH 1990-03-04
5 Cyperus papyrus Kapaa, Kapahi off of Kulana Place. KISC 2007 Early Detection Roadside Survey. Growing in small pond dense filling pond With Hibiscus tiliaceus, Urochloa maxima, Ricinus communis Preserved_Specimen Tangalin, N. 1620 Kauai BISH 2007-10-11
6 Cyperus papyrus Kawainui marsh, far East portion of marsh. Marsh Preserved_Specimen Forming large monocultures in marsh, spreading rhizomatous. These clumps up to ca. 50 m wide. Faccenda, K. 2189 Oahu BISH 2022-01-09
7 Cyperus papyrus Chart House Restaurant; 46-336 Haiku Rd, Kaneohe Preserved_Specimen Perennial to 3m; 100+ rays of compound umbel. Annable, C.R. 3127 Oahu BISH 1996-11-11
8 Cyperus papyrus Windward side of Oahu, Hakipuu, country residence of A. F. Judd Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. Oahu BISH 1938-07-30
9 Cyperus papyrus Honolulu, Manoa Valley, HSPA arboretum Preserved_Specimen Caum, E.L. Oahu BISH 1929-04-26
10 Cyperus papyrus Honolulu, Manoa Valley, HSPA arboretum Preserved_Specimen Caum, E.L. Oahu BISH 1929-04-26
11 Cyperus papyrus Kealia Preserved_Specimen Faurie, A. 1264 Kauai BISH 1910-01-06
12 Cyperus papyrus Reservoir off of Old Nuuanu Pali Rd. near Bureau of Water Supply Pump Station. Emergent from mucky silt on reservoir edge. Preserved_Specimen Culms triangular, spongy inside, to 3 m tall, very large colony present Faccenda, K. 2186 Oahu BISH 2022-01-09
13 Cyperus papyrus Near mouth of Waipio Stream, Waipio Valley, Big Island, Hawaii Growing in a large wet, mucky field near mouth of Waipio Valley Stream, by Waipio Beach. Preserved_Specimen Very tall (ca. 12 ft) sedge, with pom-pom-like inflorescence. Culms 1-1.5 inches in diameter. Forming a large monotypic stand. Crago, L.M. 2005114 Hawaii BISH 2005-03-19
14 Cyperus papyrus Lyon Arboretum cultivated Preserved_Specimen short stalky rhizome Herbst, D.R. 1372 Oahu BISH 1969-02-03
15 Cyperus papyrus Reservoir off of Old Nuuanu Pali Rd. near Bureau of Water Supply Pump Station. Emergent from mucky silt on reservoir edge. Preserved_Specimen Culms triangular, spongy inside, to 3 m tall, very large colony present. Faccenda, K. 2186 Oahu BISH 2022-01-09
16 Cyperus papyrus Off dirt rd 2.3 mi NW of Wailua Experiment Station, Lihue-Koloa Forest Reserve Found under Hibiscus tiliaceus & assoc. w. Brachiaria. Preserved_Specimen Sedge 12' tall. Ishikawa, S. 274 Kauai BISH 1973-08-20
17 Cyperus papyrus Hamakua District, Kukuihaele quad, Waipio Valley Large monodominant patch growing in wetland area on east side near mouth of Waipio Valley. Stems over 7 ft. tall. Margins with Eichhornia crassipes, Commelina diffusa, Schoenoplectus californicus. Preserved_Specimen Englund, R. 200116 Hawaii BISH 2001-03-13
18 Cyperus papyrus Koloa District, Kalaheo, Kikala Rd. Honua Farms (Emrick residence) Along small ephemeral stream. Preserved_Specimen Large clump forming sedge of 8 ft. Flynn, T.W. 1963 Kauai BISH 1986-11-17
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