Bush onions, Onion grass, Nut grass
Cyperus bulbosus

Family: Cyperaceae

What it is like

A sedge. These grow in clumps and have grass like leaves and solid stalks. It is a herb. It grows 10-40 cm high. The rhizomes are slender. They produce brown to black tubers are the tips. The leaves are 10-20 cm long by 0.2-0.3 cm wide. They are flat and erect. They are shiny green. The culms are 20-40 cm tall. The spikelets are 1-3 cm long.

Chemical composition (after Paton & Dunlop) (grams per 100g): Protein = 2.27g. Fat = 0.58g. Carbohydrate (soluble) = 82.46g. Fibre = 1.51g. Ash = 1.58g. Water = 11.60g. Calories = 353. There are 550 Cyperus species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in tropical regions. In Australia it is inland near salt lakes. It grows in dry regions and seasonally wet grasslands. It grows in areas with an annual rainfall of about 300 mm. In East Africa it grows from 300-2,400 m altitude. It can grow in arid places. It can grow on coastal sand dunes.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Burkina Faso, East Africa, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Mauritania, Middle East, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, North Africa, Pakistan, Sahel, SE Asia, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, West Africa

How it is used for food

The husk is removed and the bulb is eaten raw or roasted. The bulbs are also dried and ground and added to flour.

It is usually a weed in cultivated fields. It is a famine food.

Edible parts

Bulb, tubers, root

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by division or tubers. They can aso be grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Akademoit, Bid, Gaddi, Gimaru, Gohosa, Gooso, Heqeyata, Hinkicha, Ilkuroti, Morkut, Motha, Mothabasa, Nalgoo, Ngaatu, Niyalbun, Puri, Puridumpa, Rabuon-apuoyo, Shilandi arisi, Theck root, Theg, Tjanmata, Yelka

Synonyms

Cyperus blysmoides C. B. Cl.; Cyperus spicatus Boeck.;