Cyperus niger
Black cyperus
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Family: Cyperaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Cyperus niger (Black cyperus) is a native California grass in the Cyperaceae family, recognized by dense heads, bracts without lateral veins, and wide distribution.
Black cyperus is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada Foothills, northern Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, Central Western, Southern California, Peninsular Ranges, and eastern Sierra Nevada in marshes, swamps, and moist roadsides at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from July to November, this plant produces small head-like spikes 5 to 15 millimeters wide with light brown to black flower bracts. Growing with short rhizomes and stems 1 to 50 centimeters tall, it forms dense clustered inflorescences with 2 to 3 spreading bracts. Its spikelets are linear-oblong, flat, and arranged in compact clusters with 3 to 25 individual spikelets. The fruit is a small brown, two-sided ovoid to elliptic structure approximately 1.2 to 1.4 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 19 sympatric species; dense heads, bracts without lateral veins, and wide distribution help distinguish
Habitat and range
Habitat: Marshes, swamps, moist roadsides
Elevation: < 1500 m
California counties: Amador, San Bernardino, El Dorado, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Orange, Contra Costa, San Diego, Nevada, Butte, Fresno, Mendocino, Marin, Calaveras, Merced, Yuba, Tehama, Sutter, Monterey, Napa, Sacramento, Solano, Shasta, Inyo, Kern, Tuolumne, Madera, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Placer, Santa Clara, Tulare, Plumas
Outside California: to Oklahoma, South America, South Africa
Bloom period
Cyperus niger blooms Jul-Nov.
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 niger native to California?
Yes. Cyperus niger is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cyperus niger bloom?
Cyperus niger blooms Jul-Nov.
Where in California does Cyperus niger grow?
Cyperus niger occurs in Amador, San Bernardino, El Dorado, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sonoma, Stanislaus and other counties, at elevations of < 1500 m.
What plant family does Cyperus niger belong to?
Cyperus niger is in the Cyperaceae family, genus Cyperus.
What habitat does Cyperus niger grow in?
Cyperus niger grows in Marshes, swamps, moist roadsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.