Cyperus rotundus
L.
Nut Grass, Purple Nutsedge
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What to Eat
Edible parts: Tubers, Seeds, Roots, Rhizomes, Culms
The tubers can be eaten raw or cooked. Freshly harvested tubers have a very strong flavour said to resemble Vick's VapoRub, but they become milder when allowed to dry. Other accounts describe a pleasant nutty flavour, while still others report the roots are very unpalatable raw and only slightly better when cooked. Dried roots can be ground into a powder and used as a cereal. The seeds are also edible but are very small and fiddly to use — considered a famine food, used only when other options are exhausted. Tubers are starchy with mild sweetness, and roasting improves flavour. They are available year-round in frost-free climates. Wash thoroughly and avoid harvesting from contaminated sites. Excavate carefully to retrieve the tuber chains. No improved cultivars exist; this plant is primarily regarded as a pest species. It is often confused with yellow nutsedge, though typically darker.
Known Hazards
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It occurs world wide in warmer places. In Papua New Guinea it grows up to 1800 m altitude. In Nepal it grows between 300-2400 m altitude. It grows in moist places. It grows in wetlands. It can grow in most soil types and most pH levels. It cannot tolerate salt or shade. It can grow in arid places. It grows in the Sahara.
Afghanistan, Africa, American Samoa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia, Botswana, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central America, Central Asia, Chad, Chile, China, East Africa, East Timor, Eswatini, Europe, Fiji, France, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guyana, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Marquesas, Mediterranean, Micronesia, Middle East, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, Rotuma, Sahel, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkey, Türkiye, Tuvalu, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, West Timor, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
A sedge. It is a herb that continues growing from year to year. It has both rhizomes and tubers under the ground. The leaves of this plant have a blunt tip and do not have a shoulder along the leaf. The leaves mostly grow from the base of the plant. They are narrow and flat and 5-20 cm long. The flower is a compound flower with 5 leafy bracts near the base of the flower. These are of different lengths. The flower stem is 3-angled and 20-50 cm high. The fruit are 3 angled and brown. They are about 1.5 mm long. The tubers of this species are dark brown, in a chain and have a bitter or unpleasant taste.
Nutrition Score: 46/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulb | 53.3 | 750 | 179 | 1.9 | — | 2 | 5.8 | 1.4 |
How to Grow
An edible weed whose invasiveness overshadows its culinary value. Growing Conditions: Thrives in warm, moist soils but tolerates drought. Habitat & Range: Pantropical and widely naturalized. Size & Landscape Performance: Forms dense mats that outcompete crops. Cultivation (Horticulture): Not recommended. Pests & Problems: Persistence is its defining trait. Identification & Habit: Dark green leaves and purplish seed heads. Pollinators: Wind-pollinated. Propagation: Extensive rhizome networks and tubers. Plant Name: Purple Nutsedge. Family: Cyperaceae. Genus: Cyperus. Common Names: Purple nutgrass. USDA Hardiness Zones: Approximately 7–11. Height/Spread: 20–80 cm tall; spreads aggressively. Prefers a moist sandy loam and a sunny position. We do not know how hardy this plant will be in Britain, one report says that it is frost-tender, but it is found growing wild in areas of N. America that do experience frost. This plant is sometimes cultivated for its edible tubers in Tropical regions, however it is a serious weed of agricultural land in the tropics where it spreads rapidly at the roots and is considered to be one of the world's most damaging weeds. It is subject to statutory control in several countries.
Propagation: Not recommended for cultivation. Seed can be surface sown in spring in moist compost, with germination typically occurring in 2–6 weeks at 18°C. Prick seedlings into individual pots once large enough, overwinter in a greenhouse, and plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Division in spring or autumn is very easy; larger clumps can go directly into permanent positions, though smaller clumps are better potted up and grown on in a cold frame until well rooted before planting out in spring.
Medicinal Uses
Nut grass is a pungent, bitter-sweet herb that relieves spasms and pain, acting mainly on the digestive system and uterus. The roots and tubers are analgesic, antibacterial, antispasmodic, antitussive, aromatic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, litholytic, sedative, stimulant, stomachic, tonic, and vermifuge, and have applications for the skin. Internally they are used to treat digestive problems and menstrual complaints, and are commonly combined with black pepper (Piper nigrum) for stomachaches. Roots are harvested in summer or winter and dried for later use. An essential oil in the tubers has antibiotic activity and has been shown to arrest the growth of Micrococcus pyrogenes. The plant ranks 8th among 250 potential antifertility plants identified in China and is used in the treatment of cervical cancer.
Other Uses
The leaves are used in basketry and for weaving hats and matting. The aromatic root is used in perfumery in India, and when dried and ground to a fine powder it is used like talcum powder. Tubers provide food for small mammals but their spread reduces plant diversity.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Cyperus rotundus (coco-grass, Java grass, nut grass, purple nut sedge or purple nutsedge, red nut sedge, Khmer kravanh chruk) is a species of sedge (Cyperaceae) native to Africa, southern and central Europe (north to France and Austria), and southern Asia. The word cyperus derives from the Greek κύπερος, kyperos, and rotundus is from Latin, meaning "round". The earliest attested form of the word cyperus is the Mycenaean Greek 𐀓𐀞𐀫, ku-pa-ro, written in Linear B syllabic script.
Other Information
The roots are chewed especially by children.
Notes
It is mostly regarded as a serious weed in gardens in the tropical lowlands. There are 550 Cyperus species. It is used in medicine.
Names & Synonyms
Bhada, Chaguan humatag, Chufa roja, Coco grass, Contra cebra, Ei, Grama, Guel, Gunza, Injunca, Junquillo, Keya bon, Konnari gedde, Korai, Korrai kizhangu, Kuntayle, Motha, Mothe, Mothee, Mouku, Mumuta, Musta, Mustaka, Mutha, Mutha ghash, Muthanga, Myet-mon-nyin-ahnet, Pupu, Sembang kaothum, Suraj, Tamascal, Tamous-sayt, Te mumute, Teki, Tiririca, Topalak, Tungamuste, Tungegadde, Wet-mye-u, Xiang fu
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