Chlorocyperus phymatodes (Muhlenberg) Palla; Cyperus esculentus var. angustispicatus Britton; C. esculentus var. phymatodes (Muhlenberg) Kükenthal; C. fulvescens Liebmann; C. phymatodes Muhlenberg; C. repens Elliott; C. tuberosus Pursh

Spikelets divaricate, forming 75–90° angle with rachis, (10–)15–20 × (1.2–)1.5–2 mm; floral scales ovate-lanceolate, widest at midlength, 1.8–2.7 × (1–)1.5–1.8(–2) mm. Flowers: anthers (1–)1.3(–1.6) mm; styles (0.7–)1–1.2 mm; stigmas (1.2–)1.8(–2.5) mm.

Fruiting summer. Disturbed soils, croplands; 0–1200 m; B.C., N.B., Ont., Que.; Ala., Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis.; Mexico; Central America; South America; introduced, w Europe.

Cyperus esculentus var. leptostachyus is the most common of the varieties nearly throughout the range of the species in North America.