Papirus / Paraguitas - Cyperus involucratus

Papirus  / Paraguitas - Cyperus involucratus

Cyperus involucratus, the umbrella sedge, is a close cousin of the famous Egyptian papyrus plant (Cyperus papyrus), which it resembles. Like papyrus, the umbrella plant grows in clumps in wet and boggy areas, although it will thrive in drier situations as well. The clumps are composed of slender triangular stems that arise from a network of woody rhizomes and grow to a height of 2-6 ft (0.6-1.8 m). The small basal leaves are barely noticeable as they are reduced to sheaths around the bottom of the stems. At the stem tips are about two dozen leaflike bracts that are 6-15 in (15.2-38.1 cm) long, about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide and radially arranged like the spokes of wheel. Clusters of small greenish flowers grow from the center of the disk. Flowers are followed by small fruits that mature to dark brown.