About Cyperus longus L.
Cyperus longus L. is a tall plant that reaches up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) in height. It has creeping rhizomes and erect, triangular stems, each of which ends in an inflorescence. This species grows in shallow water or on damp ground, such as along pond edges. Its holotype was collected in Italy. Cyperus longus L. is a widespread species found across Africa, southern Europe, the Indian subcontinent, and western Asia. It occurs incidentally as a native in Wallonia. It is also found in western France, south Wales, and southern England, where it is uncertain whether it is originally native. Since the 1990s, it has spread northwards to Flanders and the Netherlands, where it occurs in scattered adventive populations. It has also been introduced to Tristan da Cunha and Western Australia. The thick, long, yellowish rhizomes of Cyperus longus L. are traditionally harvested to distil a sweet-scented oil that is used in the perfume industry. The stalks were traditionally processed into paper in the past. European folk medicine also used this plant: rhizomes were used to treat stomach aches and the onset of dropsy. Currently, it is grown as an ornamental plant for lining ponds.
