Cyperus albostriatus Schrad. APNI* 
Description: Tufted perennial with short thick rhizome.
Culms trigonous, smooth, 20–60 cm high, 1–2 mm diam.
Leaves not septate-nodulose, as long as culms or much shorter, 8–18 mm wide. Inflorescence compound with 8–24 primary branches to 10 cm long; digitate clusters to 15 mm diam.; involucral bracts leaf-like, 8–10 about as long as inflorescence. Spikelets flattened, solitary or 2–4 per cluster, 4–14 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, 8–30-flowered; rachilla winged, persistent. Glumes obtuse, with sides faintly several-nerved, c. 1.2 mm long, pale brown. Stamens 3. Style 3-fid.
Nut trigonous, oblong-ellipsoid, nearly as long as glume, 1–1.5 mm long, 0.3–0.5 mm diam., brown to blackish.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Frequently cultivated as an ornamental; a garden escape, rarely naturalized near Newcastle, Sydney and Nowra. Native of S Afr.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC
Other Australian states: *Qld
Distinctive bracts and leaves with 2 whitish lateral nerves prominent when dried (not so obvious when fresh).
Text by K. L. Wilson (1993; edited Aug 2012)
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
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