Cyperus odoratus
Illustration courtesy of University of Florida/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. Used with permission.
What is Fragrant Flat Sedge?
Physical Characteristics
Flowers:
Fruit:
- Dry
- Does not open to release fruit when ripe
- Brown in color
- Unequally 3-angled
Stem:
- Rarely has rhizomes
- Hollow stems
- Up to 3 feet long
- 0.05-0.23 inches thick near base
- 0.02-0.13 inches thick just beneath the flower
Where Does it Grow?
USDA, NRCS. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Fragrant flat sedge can be found in the mud of swamps, ditches and streams, and along the edges of lakes and creeks.
Pros and Cons Fragrant Flat Sedge
Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates.