nut sedge

Nut grass, or sedge, refers to perennial sedges, primarily Cyperus rotundus and Cyperus esculentus. These plants are characterized by slender rootstocks that bear small, nut-like edible tubers. Sedges, belonging to the family Cyperaceae, share similarities with grasses but have distinct features like triangular, often solid stems and leaves arranged in three ranks.12

While few sedges are cultivated as crops, Cyperus esculentus (yellow nut sedge) is grown for its edible tubers, known as chufas or tiger nuts. However, Cyperus rotundus (purple nut sedge) is considered one of the world's worst weeds due to its invasive nature in tropical and warm-temperate regions. Sedges are ecologically significant, forming dominant components of many wetlands worldwide and playing a crucial role in primary productivity and the hydrologic cycle.3