365 Urban Species. #246: Yellow Nutsedge

[urbpan]

Photos by urbpan. Location: Olmsted Park, Brookline.

Urban species #246: Yellow nutsedge Cyperus esculentus

Sedges are a family of plants resembling grasses, but unrelated to them. They can be distinguished from grasses by their stems which are triangular in cross-section. A favorite mnemonic to tell grass stems from sedge stems is "sedges have edges." Yellow nutsedge is thought to be a native of subtropical Eurasia, but it currently has a nearly worldwide distribution. The ancient Egyptians valued the edible tuber of this plant as an important food source, but in recent centuries it seems to have fallen out of favor. Wild food enthusiasts point to the oil present in the plant as a potentially very useful but currently underutilized product. In much of North America, yellow nutsedge is viewed as a noxious weed of agricultural crops. In the city it grows in sunny areas, in soils that vary from acid to alkaline, from sandy to clay, in landscaped areas, lawns, and roadsides. Once established, the hardy rhizome makes it difficult to eradicate.







Photo by cottonmanifesto.

Comments

[anais2.livejournal.com]

That is exactly the alien grass that has infiltrated my upper yard. I thought it was some kind of crabgrass...thanks for the ID. Can't I just mow it and pretend it's grass?

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. Sure, why not?

[almeda.livejournal.com]

The only disadvantage to mowing sedges that I know is that they're pointy to step on when trimmed short.

[nutmeg.livejournal.com]

Sedges have edges, rushes are round and grasses are jointed right down to the ground.

[jolantru.livejournal.com]

Cool! I have been doing my own research/photography of the sedges found where I am. Fascinating plants!

[lysseya.livejournal.com]

Have been visiting your journal on a daily basis for some time, so I felt that a comment on how great it is was long overdue. Adore the fungi, but I love everything else too, and I also find the differences between your commonplace urban flora/fauna and mine, on the far side of the Big Pond, intruiguing. Also today's photo of the creative process was especially wonderful!
Thank you!

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you like it.