Cyperus laevigatus

Cyperus laevigatus is a species of sedge known by the common name smooth flatsedge.

Distribution Cyperus laevigatus is grows in wet areas, especially in brackish water, wet alkaline soils, mineral-rich hot springs, and other moist saline and alkaline habitat. It is widespread across tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East, India, Central Asia, Australia and various oceanic islands.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant FamiliesFlora of North AmericaAcevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2005). Monocotyledons and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 52: 1-415.Govaerts, R. & Simpson, D.A. (2007). World Checklist of Cyperaceae. Sedges: 1-765. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H. (2010). Cyperaceae. Flora of Tropical East Africa: 1-466.Lambdon, P. (2012). Flowering plants & ferns of St Helena: 1-624. Pisces publications for St Helena nature conservation group.

Description Cyperus laevigatusis a perennial sedge growing up to 60 centimeters tall, sometimes in clumps interconnected on a horizontal rhizome. The inflorescence is a small array of cylindrical spikelets with one to three leaflike bracts at the base. The spikelets vary in color from green to reddish to dark brown.

History In Hawaiʻi, Cyperus laevigatus is known as makaloa and was used by the people of Ni'ihau to make beautiful plaited mats. Many of the finest examples of plaiting in Hawaiʻi are made from makaloa.Hawaiian Ethnobotany

Ecology The caterpillars of the tiny moth Chedra microstigma have been found to mine within the leaves of this host plant in coastal marsh in Oahu.

Cyperus laevigatus

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