Cyperus esculentus L. (syn.: C. aureus Ten.) (subtrop.) – An increasing, locally naturalised weed of arable land. Initially introduced in the Kempen (Neerpelt) with Dutch, contaminated manure in the beginning of the 1980’s. Now declared a noxious weed in parts of Flanders, especially on sandy soils in the Kempen and between Brugge and Gent (Verloove 2002, Verloove 2006b), occasionally elsewhere. Apparently much more rare in Wallonia but seen, for instance, in Waremme since 2008 (border of artificial basin). Most populations are confined to maize-fields, more rarely found in bulbs. Furthermore, a very rare casual alien in ports (especially near grain mills, unloading quays,…), by road banks, on ground heaps,…
Additional information on the presence of Cyperus esculentus in western Europe is available at: http://www.q-bank.eu/Plants/Factsheets/Cyperus%20esculentus%20NL.pdf.
Cyperus esculentus is an exceedingly variable species (Schippers & al. 1995). The plants currently found in Flanders belong to var. leptostachyus Boeckeler, an American taxon that has become widely naturalised in various parts of western Europe (as a weed of arable land but also in more natural, riparian habitats). However, there is no molecular support for recognizing taxonomic varieties (De Castro & al. 2015).
Selected literature
De Castro O., Gargiulo R., Del Guacchio E., Caputo P. & De Luca P. (2015) A molecular survey concerning the origin of Cyperus esculentus (Cyperaceae, Poales): two sides of the same coin (weed vs. crop). Ann. Bot. 115(5): 733-745. [available online at: http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/02/17/aob.mcv001.full.pdf+html]
Follak S., Aldrian U., Moser D. & Essl F. (2015) Reconstructing the invasion of Cyperus esculentus in Central Europe. Weed Research 55(3). DOI:10.1111/wre.12145.
Hohla M. (2012) Bromus sitchensis – neu für Österreich, Plantago coronopus - neu für Oberösterreich sowie weitere Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Flora des Innviertels. Stapfia 97: 180-192.
Mulligan G.A. & Junkins B.E. (1976) The biology of Canadian weeds. 17. Cyperus esculentus L. Canad. J. Pl. Sci. 56: 339-350.
Niederbichler C. (2011) Cyperus esculentus L. auch in Bayern verwildert. Ber. Bay. Bot. Ges. 81: 155-157.
Oesau A. (1995) Zum Auftreten des Erdmandelgrasses Cyperus esculentus L. bei Offenburg (Baden-Württemberg). Carolinea 53: 17-20.
Rotteveel A.J.W. (1993) Tien jaar Knolcyperus (Cyperus esculentus L.) in Nederland. Gorteria 19(3): 65-73.
Schippers P., Ter Borg S.J. & Bos J.J. (1995) A revision of the infraspecific taxonomy of Cyperus esculentus (Yellow Nutsedge) with an experimentally evaluated character set. Syst. Bot. 20: 461-481. [available online at: http://edepot.wur.nl/215596]
Schroeder C. & Wolken M. (1989) Die Erdmandel (Cyperus esculentus L.) – ein neues Unkraut in Mais. Osnabrücker naturw. Mitt. 15: 83-104.
Unruh M. (2005) Cyperus esculentus L. (Erdmandel) an der Mittleren Elbe nordwestlich Dessau. Mitt. florist. Kart. Sachsen-Anhalt 10: 39-41.
Verloove F. (2002) Ingeburgerde plantensoorten in Vlaanderen. Mededeling van het Instituut voor Natuurbehoud n° 20: 227 p.
Verloove F. (2006b) Cyperus esculentus. In: Van Landuyt W., Hoste I., Vanhecke L., Van den Bremt P., Vercruysse W. & De Beer D., Atlas van de flora van Vlaanderen en het Brussels gewest. Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek, Nationale Plantentuin van België en Flo.Wer: 324-325.
Wills G.D. (1987) Description of purple and yellow nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus and C. esculentus). Weed Technol. 1: 2-9.