Kyllinga squamulata

Family: Cyperaceae

What it is like

A sedge. It is a herb that grows each year from seed. It grows 5-18 cm high. The stem is 1 mm across. It is sharply triangle shaped but smooth. The leaves are the same length as the stem. The leaf blade is 13 cm long and 3 mm wide. It is soft and flexible. The flowers are in a round compact cluster of 50-100 spikes. The nut is 3-4 mm long.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in waste places and often these are sandy. In Pakistan it grows in moist vales between 1,300 -2,000 m altitude.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Burkina Faso, Central Africa, East Africa, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indochina, Madagascar, Mozambique, North America, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

The swollen culm base is chewed and added to food as a flavouring.

Edible parts

Culms - flavouring

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Cyperus metzii (Hochst. ex Steud.) Mattf. & Kuk; Kyllinga cristata Afzel. ex A. Rich.; Kyllingia dentata Hochst. ex A. Rich.; Kyllingia metzii Hochst. ex Steud.; Kyllingia squamulosa Kunth;