Cyperus erythrorhizos

Roundly triangular stems and dark reddish purple leaf bases. Leaves are flat to inversely W-shaped and inflorescence is subtended by 5-7 bracts that are W-shaped in cross-section. Scales small reddish-brown and seeds are ivory-to-white.

The seeds of this species become dormant soon after harvest and require moist stratification at 50 F (10 C) for 3-9 months. After-ripening of seeds occurs when they are stored at room temperature for 1 year, but viability declines to 0 after 4 1/2 years (Justice 1957). Seeds average approximately 6,900,000 seeds/lb.

Red-root flatsedge is abundant in marshy places throughout Louisiana and southeast Texas. It ranges throughout the eastern United States from Ontario, Canada and the Dakotas, south to the gulf coast and west to New Mexico. It is also found in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and Utah. Correll and Johnston (1979) consider it to not be distinct from C. digitatus.

Marshes and ditches, flood banks, sandy river shores, river sand bars, boggy depressions.