Cyperus acuminatus
Short pointed cyperus
(c) Tyler Bishop, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Cyperus acuminatus (Short pointed cyperus) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by outcurved bract tips.
Short pointed cyperus is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, Great Valley, and Western Transverse Ranges in edges of temporary pools, ponds, and streams at elevations below 400 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces small spheric heads of flat, ovate spikelets 5 to 18 millimeters wide with lance-ovate flower bracts. Growing with slender stems 5 to 40 centimeters tall and 0.4 to 1 millimeter thick, it forms delicate clustered inflorescences. Its flower bracts are distinctively 3-veined with tips that curve outward, creating a subtle textural complexity. The fruit is a small light brown, obovoid-ellipsoid structure approximately 0.7 to 1.1 millimeters long, with an acute, beaked tip.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; outcurved bract tips are diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Edges of temporary pools, ponds, streams
Elevation: < 400 m
California counties: Ventura, Colusa, Riverside, Siskiyou, Tulare, Shasta, Glenn, Mendocino, Calaveras, Fresno, San Mateo, Sonoma, Lake, Contra Costa, Sacramento, Butte, Tehama, Madera, Stanislaus, Humboldt, Santa Barbara
Outside California: to Washington, northern central and eastern United States, southern Canada, northeastern Mexico
Bloom period
Cyperus acuminatus blooms Jun-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Carex: Cyperus has umbrella clusters with flat spikes; Carex has brown/green spikelets with seeds in individual flasks.; vs Scirpus: Cyperus has flattened ribbon-like spikes; Scirpus has rounded, cylindrical spikelets.; vs Juncus: Cyperus has triangular stems and flat flower spikes; Juncus has round stems and individual flowers.; vs Sticherus: Cyperus is a sedge with triangular stem; Sticherus is a fern with fronds.; vs Eleusine: Cyperus has triangular stems; Eleusine is a grass with round stems and obvious grass flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cyperus acuminatus native to California?
Yes. Cyperus acuminatus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cyperus acuminatus bloom?
Cyperus acuminatus blooms Jun-Oct.
Where in California does Cyperus acuminatus grow?
Cyperus acuminatus occurs in Ventura, Colusa, Riverside, Siskiyou, Tulare, Shasta, Glenn, Mendocino and other counties, at elevations of < 400 m.
What plant family does Cyperus acuminatus belong to?
Cyperus acuminatus is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Cyperus.
What habitat does Cyperus acuminatus grow in?
Cyperus acuminatus grows in Edges of temporary pools, ponds, streams.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.