Cyperus flavicomus

Whiteedge flatsedge

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: annual · Not Native

Whiteedge flatsedge is a naturalized annual found in the Sacramento Valley, specifically Butte County, in marshy and damp places at approximately 100 meters elevation. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces light brown to deep red flowers in compact spikes 8 to 22 millimeters wide, with spikelets 7 to 30 millimeters long. Growing 30 to 75 centimeters tall with 1 to 3 stems, it forms an open, branching inflorescence with 3 to 7 long bracts extending 5 to 35 centimeters. Its flowers have spreading bracts 1.7 to 2.3 millimeters long with distinctive lateral veins and 2 stigmas. The fruit is a small, black to dark red-brown, two-sided obovoid seed approximately 1.2 to 1.6 millimeters long.

Habitat: Marshy, damp places

Bloom period: Aug-Oct

Elevation: +- 100 m.

Bioregions: ScV (Butte Co.)

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.