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Cyperus odoratus

L.

Rusty Flatsedge

G5Secure Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.145200
Element CodePMCYP062D0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyCyperaceae
GenusCyperus
Synonyms
Torulinium odoratum(L.) S. Hooper
Other Common Names
Fragrant Flatsedge (EN) fragrant flatsedge (EN) Souchet odorant (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Fed. Reg. 30Oct01) includes Cyperus auriculatus (also called Torulinum odoratum ssp. auriculatum) in the synonymy of Cyperus (Torulinium) odoratum. Kartesz (1994 and 1999) treats C. auriculatus and C. odoratus as distinct species. Wagner et al (1990) treat Torulinum odoratum with ssp. auriculatum as a Hawaiian endemic; in their supplement (1999) they change T. odoratum to C. odoratus but do not mention the subspecies. The treatment here follows Kartesz (1994/1999), with C. auriculatum considered distinct from C. odoratum. Note that this Kartesz (1994, 1999), FNA (2002) concept of Cyperus odoratus includes C. engelmannii and C. ferruginescens.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-09-27
Change Date1984-04-24
Edition Date2024-09-27
Edition AuthorsJ. Lau (2000), rev. L. Morse (2001), rev. Johnson, J. (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Cyperus odoratus is a graminoid with a pantropical disribution which extends into temperate areas of North and South America. With a large range extent, more than 1000 occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Cyperus odoratus has a pantropical disribution which extends into temperate areas of North and South America (FNA 2002). It is introduced in the Mediterranean (POWO 2024). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are estimated to be more than 1000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Cyperus odoratus is potentially threatened by development, road maintenance, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species is found in disturbed, muddy places, as well as emergent shorelines, and fresh or slightly brackish marshes (FNA 2002).
Palustrine Habitats
TEMPORARY POOLHERBACEOUS WETLAND
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioSNRYes
QuebecS2Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
North CarolinaSNRYes
MississippiSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
West VirginiaS4Yes
South CarolinaSNRYes
New HampshireSHYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
NebraskaSNRYes
KentuckySNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
ColoradoS3Yes
North DakotaS3Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
LouisianaSNRYes
IowaSNRYes
MissouriS5Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
New YorkSNRYes
DelawareS5Yes
FloridaS5Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
VermontSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
GeorgiaS4Yes
TexasSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
ArkansasSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
TennesseeS2Yes
ConnecticutS4Yes
WyomingS1Yes
VirginiaSNRYes
New JerseySNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
IdahoS1Yes
KansasS5Yes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undeterminedUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (3)
Florida (1)
AreaForestAcres
Alexander Springs CreekOcala National Forest2,954
Puerto Rico (2)
AreaForestAcres
El Toro AreaCaribbean National Forest12,584
Mameyes AreaCaribbean National Forest11,150
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 23. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Cyperaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 608 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  6. Koyama, T. 1990. Cyperaceae. Pp. 1381-1436 in: Wagner, W.L., D.R. Herbst, and S.H. Sohmer, Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai`i. Special Publ. Bishop Mus., Honolulu 83: 1-1853.
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  8. Wagner, W. L., and D. R. Herbst. 1999. Supplement to the Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Pages 1855-1918 in W.L. Wagner, D.R. Herbst and S.H. Sohmer. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Univ. Hawaii Press and Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu.
  9. Wagner, W.L., D.R. Herbst, and S.H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Univ. Hawaii Press and Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1853 pp.