Cyperaceae

Flatspike sedge

Abildgaardia ovata (Burm.f.) Kral

Family: Cyperaceae
Genus: Abildgaardia

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Flatspike sedge: Native, warm season, perennial, tufted, hairless sedge to 60 cm tall and with very short rhizomes. Leaves are shorter than the stems and to 1 mm wide. Flowerhea — Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (4)

Chinese: 独穗飘拂草, 卵形飄拂草, 独穗飄拂草
English: Flatspike sedge
Japanese: ヤリテンツキ
mad: Bâng-bhâbângan

Synonyms

Abildgaardia compressa J.Presl & C.Presl
Abildgaardia indica (Rich.) Nees
Abildgaardia javanensis Gand.
Abildgaardia monostachya (L.) Vahl
Abildgaardia rottboelliana Nees
Carex ovata Burm.f.
Cyperus caribaeus Pers.
Cyperus indicus Rich.
Cyperus monostachyos L.
Fimbristylis compressa Fern.-Vill.
Fimbristylis monostachya (L.) Hassk.
Fimbristylis ovata (Burm.f.) J.Kern
Iria caribea Steud.
Iria indica (Rich.) Schult.
Iria monostachya (L.) Kuntze
Scirpus monostachyus (L.) Kuntze
Scirpus schoenoides Roxb.

Characteristics

Growth habit: Graminoid
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: native, Pacific Basin: native, Puerto Rico: native, U.S. Virgin Islands: native

Photos

Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Harry Rose from Dungog, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Keisotyo, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Keisotyo, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Keisotyo, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Abildgaardia

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.