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Cyperus esculentus

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

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

chufa, mau‘u hunehune [mauu hunehune], Mccoy grass

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form:

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves:

Flowers:

Fruit:

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Synonyms (48)

Chlorocyperus aureus (K.Richt.) Palla ex Kneuck. (1903)
Chlorocyperus phymatodes (Muhl.) Palla (1903)
Cyperus aureus Ten. (1824)
Cyperus aureus subsp. esculentus (L.) Nyman (1882)
Cyperus bahiensis Steud. (1854)
Cyperus buchananii Boeckeler (1888)
Cyperus bulamensis Steud. (1854)
Cyperus chrysostachys Boeckeler (1859)
Cyperus damiettensis A.Dietr. (1833)
Cyperus esculentus f. angustispicatus (Britton) Fernald (1942)
Cyperus esculentus f. evolutus C.B.Clarke (1884)
Cyperus esculentus f. macrostachyus (Boeckeler) Fernald (1942)
Cyperus esculentus f. princeps C.B.Clarke (1884)
Cyperus esculentus proles aureus (K.Richt.) P.Fourn. (1935)
Cyperus esculentus proles sativus (Boeckeler) P.Fourn. (1935)
Cyperus esculentus subsp. aureus K.Richt. (1890)
Cyperus esculentus var. angustispicatus Britton (1886)
Cyperus esculentus var. cyclolepis Boeckeler ex Kük. (1935)
Cyperus esculentus var. heermannii (Buckley) Britton (1886)
Cyperus esculentus var. helodes (Schrad. ex Nees) C.B.Clarke (1884)
Cyperus esculentus var. leptostachyus Boeckeler (1870)
Cyperus esculentus var. lutescens (Torr. & Hook.) Kük. ex Osten (1931)
Cyperus esculentus var. macrostachyus Boeckeler (1870)
Cyperus esculentus var. phymatodes (Muhl.) Kük. (1926)
Cyperus esculentus var. sativus Boeckeler (1870)
Cyperus esculentus var. sprucei C.B.Clarke (1884)
Cyperus fulvescens Liebm. (1850)
Cyperus gracilescens Schult. (1824)
Cyperus gracilis Link (1820)
Cyperus heermannii Buckley (1864)
Cyperus helodes Schrad. ex Nees (1842)
Cyperus hydra Kunth (1816)
Cyperus lutescens Torr. & Hook. (1836)
Cyperus melanorhizus Delile (1813)
Cyperus nervosus Bertol. (1819)
Cyperus officinalis T.Nees (1830)
Cyperus pallidus Savi (1830)
Cyperus phymatodes Muhl. (1817)
Cyperus phymatodes var. heermannii (Buckley) S.Watson (1880)
Cyperus repens Elliott (1816)
Cyperus ruficomus Buckley (1864)
Cyperus sieberianus Link (1827)
Cyperus tenoreanus Schult. & Schult.f. (1827)
Cyperus tenorei C.Presl (1826)
Cyperus tuberosus Pursh (1813)
Cyperus variabilis Salzm. ex Steud. (1854)
Pterocyperus esculentus (L.) Opiz (1852)
Pycreus esculentus (L.) Hayek (1932)

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Unknown
O'ahu Potentially naturalizing
Maui Unknown
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 45 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1396 (H); Strong & Wagner 1997:41 (H); Wood 2006:17 (K); Faccenda, Arthur, et al. 2025:169 (remove K [re-IDed as C. polystachyos])

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Cyperus esculentus Onomea, in sugar plantation Preserved_Specimen Lyon, H.L. Hawaii BISH 1956-07-13
2 Cyperus esculentus Hilo, Park betw Keawe St & Kalanianaole Wet place in lawn. Preserved_Specimen Stemmermann, R.L. 6889 Hawaii BISH 1984-04-28
3 Cyperus esculentus Hilo, Railroad Ave near the Hawaii County Parks Building Gravel on edge of road, sunny Preserved_Specimen Bulblets / tubers present on roots, small colony seen Faccenda, K. 2341 Hawaii BISH 2022-03-06
4 Cyperus esculentus Onomea, in sugar plantation Preserved_Specimen Lyon, H.L. Hawaii BISH 1956-07-13
5 Cyperus esculentus Hilo, University of Hawaii at Hilo Campus. In black sand volleyball court, sunny, moist area. Preserved_Specimen Common, rhizomatous and with tubers formed on roots Faccenda, K. 3588 Hawaii BISH 2024-07-09
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