Cyperus esculentus

Chufa sedge
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Cyperaceae
Genus: Cyperus
Species:
C. esculentus
Binomial name
Cyperus esculentus
Synonyms[2]
Synonymy
  • Chlorocyperus aureus (K.Richt.) Palla ex Kneuck.
  • Chlorocyperus phymatodes (Muhl.) Palla
  • Cyperus aureus Ten
  • Cyperus aureus (L.) Nyman
  • Cyperus bahiensis Steud.
  • Cyperus buchananii Boeckeler
  • Cyperus callistus Ridl.
  • Cyperus chrysostachys Boeckeler
  • Cyperus cubensis Steud.
  • Cyperus damiettensis A.Dietr.
  • Cyperus esculentus var. angustispicatus Britton
  • Cyperus esculentus f. angustispicatus (Britton) Fernald
  • Cyperus esculentus subsp. aureus K.Richt.
  • Cyperus esculentus var. cyclolepis Boeckeler ex Kük.
  • Cyperus esculentus f. evolutus C.B.Clarke
  • Cyperus esculentus var. heermannii (Buckley) Britton
  • Cyperus esculentus var. helodes (Schrad. ex Nees) C.B.Clarke
  • Cyperus esculentus var. leptostachyus Boeckeler
  • Cyperus esculentus var. lutescens (Torr. & Hook.) Kük. ex Osten
  • Cyperus esculentus var. lutescens (Torr. & Hook.) Kük.
  • Cyperus esculentus var. macrostachyus Boeckeler
  • Cyperus esculentus f. macrostachyus (Boeckeler) Fernald
  • Cyperus esculentus var. phymatodes (Muhl.) Kük.
  • Cyperus esculentus f. princeps C.B.Clarke
  • Cyperus esculentus var. sativus Boeckeler
  • Cyperus esculentus var. sprucei C.B.Clarke
  • Cyperus fresenii Steud.
  • Cyperus fulvescens Liebm.
  • Cyperus gracilescens Schult.
  • Cyperus gracilis Link
  • Cyperus heermannii Buckley
  • Cyperus helodes Schrad. ex Nees
  • Cyperus hydra Kunth
  • Cyperus lutescens Torr. & Hook.
  • Cyperus melanorhizus Delile
  • Cyperus nervosus Bertol.
  • Cyperus officinalis T.Nees
  • Cyperus pallidus Savi
  • Cyperus phymatodes Muhl.
  • Cyperus phymatodes var. heermannii (Buckley) S.Watson
  • Cyperus repens Elliott
  • Cyperus ruficomus Buckley
  • Cyperus scirpoides R.Br.
  • Cyperus sieberianus Link
  • Cyperus tenoreanus Schult.
  • Cyperus tenorei C.Presl
  • Cyperus tenorianus Roem. & Schult.
  • Cyperus tuberosus Pursh
  • Cyperus variabilis Salzm. ex Steud.
  • Pterocyperus esculentus (L.) Opiz
  • Pycreus esculentus (L.) Hayek

Cyperus esculentus (also called chufa,[3] tiger nut,[4] atadwe,[5] yellow nutsedge,[6] earth almond, and in Chishona, pfende[7]) is a species of plant in the sedge family widespread across much of the world.[8] It is found in most of the Eastern Hemisphere, including Southern Europe, Africa and Madagascar, as well as the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent.[9][10][11] C. esculentus is cultivated for its edible tubers, called earth almonds or tiger nuts (due to the stripes on their tubers and their hard shell), as a snack food and for the preparation of horchata de chufa, a sweet, milk-like beverage.[12][13]

Cyperus esculentus can be found wild, as a weed, or as a crop. It is an invasive species outside its native range, and is readily transported accidentally to become invasive. In many countries, C. esculentus is considered a weed.[12][14] It is often found in wet soils such as rice paddies and peanut farms as well as well-irrigated lawns and golf courses during warm weather.

  1. ^ Kumar, B. (2013). "Cyperus esculentus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T164083A17636573. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T164083A17636573.en. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Cyperus esculentus L. — The Plant List". www.theplantlist.org. Archived from the original on 2020-06-01. Retrieved 2014-02-08.
  3. ^ "Chufa Information". Seed World. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  4. ^ Chen, Angus (April 27, 2016). "Loathed By Farmers, Loved By Ancients: The Strange History of Tiger Nuts". NPR. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  5. ^ "Is Atadwe (Tiger Nuts) Good for You? Health Benefits of Tiger Nuts". GhanaStar. 2015-11-15. Retrieved 2020-04-29.
  6. ^ "Yellow nutsedge". University of Maryland Extension. Retrieved January 5, 2021.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ "Chufa (Earth Almond)". Chest of Books. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  8. ^ Sánchez‐Zapata, Elena; Fernández‐López, Juana; Pérez‐Alvarez, José Angel (2012-07-01). "Tiger Nut (Cyperus esculentus) Commercialization: Health Aspects, Composition, Properties, and Food Applications". Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 11 (4): 366–377. doi:10.1111/j.1541-4337.2012.00190.x. ISSN 1541-4337.
  9. ^ "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". Kew Science. Archived from the original on April 5, 2011. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  10. ^ "Biota of North America Program, 2013 county distribution map". Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2014-07-24.
  11. ^ Altervista Flora Italiana, Zigolo dolce, Yellow Nutsedge, Cyperus esculentus L. Archived 2014-07-21 at the Wayback Machine includes photographs plus distribution maps for Europe and North America
  12. ^ a b "Cyperus esculentus (yellow nutsedge)". CABI. 19 November 2018. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  13. ^ Nazish, Noma. "What Are Tiger Nuts And Why Should You Eat Them?". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  14. ^ Sánchez-Zapata, E; Fernández-López, J; Angel Pérez-Alvarez, J (2012). "Tiger Nut (Cyperus esculentus) Commercialization: Health Aspects, Composition, Properties, and Food Applications". Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 11 (4): 366–77. doi:10.1111/j.1541-4337.2012.00190.x.