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Cyperus entrerianus: A Little Known Aggressive Sedge in the Southeastern United States

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Richard Carter
Affiliation:
Dep. Biol., Valdosta Stale Univ., Valdosta, GA 31698
Charles T. Bryson
Affiliation:
South. Weed Sci. Lab., Agric. Res. Serv., U.S. Dep. Agric., Stoneville, MS 38776

Extract

Four of the world's worst weeds are in the genus Cyperus. These are smallflower umbrella sedge (C. difformis L.), yellow nutsedge (C. esculentus L.), riceflatsedge (C. iria L.), and the world's worst weed, purple nutsedge (C. rotundus L.) (7). Fourteen additional Cyperus species are listed in the Composite List of Weeds1. Cyperus is in the sedge family (Cyperaceae) which consists of about 600 species found mostly in tropical to warm-temperate regions around the world (9). Cyperus entrerianus Böckeler is an aggressive, robust, fast growing, tenacious pest that produces large numbers of seeds (4). Apparently, it was introduced into the southeastern United States from temperate South America or Mexico (2). Presently, it is found in the southeastern United States from southeastern Texas to southern Georgia (4). The senior author has observed severe infestations of this weed in ditches, pastures, and fallow fields in southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas. Our objectives are to alert weed scientists, agronomists, and others concerned to the potential of this species and to discuss its biology, distribution, ecology, and taxonomy.

Type
Weed Alert
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 by the Weed Science Society of America 

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References

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