Cyperus odoratus

Fragrant flatsedge

Family: Cyperaceae · Type: annual · Native

Fragrant flatsedge is a California native annual found in the Great Valley, southern coastal, and desert bioregions in wet disturbed soils at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces red to straw, brown, or tan flowers with green centers in loosely arranged spikes. Growing with slender stems 10 to 50 centimeters tall, it forms an open inflorescence with 6 to 12 rays spreading outward. Its leaf-like bracts extend 5 to 24 centimeters, surrounding delicate linear spikelets with flower bracts 2 to 3.5 millimeters long. The fruit is small and slightly flattened, measuring 1.5 to 1.9 millimeters in length.

Habitat: Wet disturbed soils

Bloom period: Jul-Oct

Elevation: < 500 m

Bioregions: GV, SCo, D

California counties: Alameda, Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Diego, Colusa, Imperial, Kern, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Yolo, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Sutter, Glenn, Contra Costa, Marin, Merced, Madera, Sacramento, Fresno, Siskiyou, Kings, Butte

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