Miniature Flatsedge

Cyperus prolifer has long been cultivated in fish ponds and water gardens and has been reported under the name C. isocladus.

Herbs, perennial, cespitose, rhizomatous. Culms trigonous to terete, 20–100 cm × 2–6 mm, soft (flattened in drying), glabrous, often flopping over and rooting at base of rays. Leaves: blades reduced to sheath. Inflorescences: rays 100–250, 5–16 cm; 2d order rays 0.5–5 cm; bracts 2–3, horizontal or reflexed, 4–12 cm × 1.5–4 mm. Spikelets 1–30, linear-lanceoloid, ellipsoid to narrowly ovoid, compressed-quadrangular, 6–17 × 1–1.5 mm; floral scales 5–12, reddish brown, 1–3-ribbed, 1.2–1.7 × 0.7–0.9 mm, apex mucronulate. Flowers: stamens 3; anthers 1–1.2 mm; styles 0.3 mm; stigmas 1–1.3 mm. Achenes brown, obovoid, 0.4 × 0.2 mm, base stipelike to nearly cuneate, apex obtuse, surfaces finely reticulate.

introduced; Calif., Fla.; tropical e Africa.

Fruiting summer.

Pond shores, marshes; 0–200m.

Cyperus isocladus Kunth

Cyperus prolifer is a species of sedge that is native to eastern parts of Africa. It is introduced and considered invasive in Florida.