Cyperus difformis L. APNI* 
Description: Tufted annual with reddish roots. Culms triquetrous, smooth, 10–50 cm high, 2–3 mm diam.
Leaves not septate-nodulose, shorter than or not much exceeding culms, 2–5 mm wide, sometimes reduced to sheaths.
Inflorescence simple or rarely compound with 5–11 primary branches to 5 cm long, sometimes head-like; digitate clusters dense, 8–15 mm diam.; involucral bracts leaf-like, 1 or 2 longer than the inflorescence and usually ± erect. Spikelets flattened, numerous per cluster, 2.5–5 mm long, c. 1 mm wide in side view, 10–30-flowered; rachilla not winged, persistent. Glumes very obtuse, with 3-nerved midrib, 0.6–0.9 mm long, c. 1 mm wide, very dark red-brown or sometimes paler, with white margins. Stamens 1, rarely 2. Style 3-fid.
Nut triquetrous, ellipsoid to obovoid, almost as long as glume, 0.5–0.7 mm long, c. 0.3 mm diam., straw-coloured.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread. Grows in seasonally wet, open situations, often disturbed; a weed of rice crops.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS, NWP, SWP, NFWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. W.A. S.A. N.T.
Text by K. L. Wilson
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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