[Greek oxys, sharp, and carya, nut]

Jeremy J. Bruhl

Herbs, perennial, not cespitose, stoloniferous, aquatic. Culms solitary, trigonous. Leaves basal; ligules present, ciliate; blades flat to V-shaped in cross section, prominently keeled on abaxial surface. Inflorescences terminal, umbellate heads or capitate; involucral bracts 1–6+, spreading, leaflike. Spikelets: scales 5–10+, 3-ranked, spirally arranged, each subtending flower. Flowers bisexual; perianth absent; stamens 3; styles 2-fid, linear, base persistent. Achenes plano-convex, margins and apex corky.

Species 1: tropical and subtropical America and Africa.

SELECTED REFERENCE

Lye, K. A. 1971c. Studies in African Cyperaceae: 2. The genus Oxycaryum Nees. Bot. Not. 124: 281–286.

Lower Taxon

• Oxycaryum cubense (Poeppig & Kunth) Lye