Taxon: Cyperus distans L. f.

Summary

Genus:

Cyperus

Family:

Cyperaceae

Subfamily:

Cyperoideae

Tribe:

Cypereae

Nomen number:

402809

Place of publication:

Suppl. pl. 103. 1782 ("1781")

Verified:

12/10/2009 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

0 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System.

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2
Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
Haines, R. W. & K. A. Lye. 1983. Sedges and rushes of East Africa
Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Molina G., A. M. 2011. Review of Cyperaceae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 31 Mar.
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
Stanley, T. D. & E. M. Ross. 1983-1989. Flora of south-eastern Queensland.
Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
Steyermark, J. A. et al., eds. 1995-. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Note: Missouri Botanical Garden & Timber Press
Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
Tucker, G. C. 1994. Revision of the Mexican species of Cyperus (Cyperaceae). Syst. Bot. Monogr. 43:94.
Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.

Common names

Language	Name	Alternate name	note	seq	Citation
English	piedmont flat sedge			1	Molina G., A. M. 2011. Review of Cyperaceae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 31 Mar.
English	slender cyperus			1	CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Middle Atlantic Ocean	St. Helena			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Ethiopia			Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Somalia			Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Botswana			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Eswatini			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Eastern Cape		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	KwaZulu-Natal		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Limpopo		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Mpumalanga		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Benin			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Côte D'Ivoire			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Ghana			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Guinea			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Liberia			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Mali			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Nigeria			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Senegal			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Sierra Leone			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Togo			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Burundi			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Cameroon			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Democratic Republic of the Congo			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Equatorial Guinea			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Gabon			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Rwanda			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Comoros			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Madagascar			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Mauritius			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Reunion			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Seychelles			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangdong Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hainan Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Yunnan Sheng		Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Bhutan			Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Nepal			Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Sri Lanka			Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Cambodia			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	India	Andaman and Nicobar Islands		Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Myanmar			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Thailand			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Vietnam			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia			Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Malaysia			Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Philippines			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	Papua New Guinea			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Queensland		Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	North Carolina		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guerrero		Tucker, G. C. 1994. Revision of the Mexican species of Cyperus (Cyperaceae). Syst. Bot. Monogr. 43:94.
1	Native	Pacific	Northwestern Pacific	Micronesia			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Antigua and Barbuda			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominica			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominican Republic			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Guadeloupe			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Vincent and Grenadines			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Trinidad and Tobago			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Virgin Islands (British)	Tortola		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	French Guiana			Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Guyana			Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Suriname			Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Jujuy		Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador		incl. Galapagos	Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru			Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Fiji			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.

Native
Africa

MIDDLE ATLANTIC OCEAN: St. Helena
NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia, Somalia
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Benin, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Malawi, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Eswatini, South Africa [Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga]
WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles

Asia-Temperate

CHINA: China [Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Hainan Sheng, Yunnan Sheng]
EASTERN ASIA: Taiwan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal
PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea
INDO-CHINA: India [Andaman and Nicobar Islands], Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
MALESIA: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [Queensland]

Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida, North Carolina]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Guerrero]

Pacific

NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Micronesia

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, United States [Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S.], St. Vincent and Grenadines, Virgin Islands (British) [Tortola]
CENTRAL AMERICA: Honduras, Nicaragua
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela
BRAZIL: Brazil
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Colombia, Ecuador (incl. Galapagos), Peru
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Jujuy]

Naturalized
Pacific

SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. et al. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78:1-581.
Boggan, J. et al. 1997. Checklist of the plants of the Guianas, ed. 2
Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
Tucker, G. C. 1994. Revision of the Mexican species of Cyperus (Cyperaceae). Syst. Bot. Monogr. 43:94.
Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone, eds. 1996, 1999. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de la República Argentina. I. Pteridophyta, Gymnospermae y Angiospermae (Monocotyledonae), II. Dicotyledonae. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 60, 74.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Weed			CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=402809. Accessed 15 October 2026.