WEEDS OF PAKISTAN: CYPERACEAE

The important weeds of Cyperaceae excluding the genus Carex infesting various crops number approximately 34. These include the genera Bolboschoenus, Bulbostylis, Cyperus, Eleocharis, Fimbristylis, Pycreus and Schoenoplectus. Cyperus esculentus and C. digitatus are often reported as weeds but the identification in most of the cases is to be re-confirmed. Cyperus esculentus in most of the cases is being confused with C. alulatus, sometimes with C. rotundus and C. iria; therefore, a recollection of the plants as weeds is required from the fields for further study. Cyperus difformis is a serious weed in rice, C. rotundus is distributed throughout the country propagating by tubers and seeds. The annual nature of Fimbristylis is an important feature of the weeds in rice. Pycreus species are rice weeds effectively competing for light by the rapid growth of the culms. Kyllinga has a great variation in size, many small plants or a few large plants compete for nutrition in the crop. Schoenoplectus species are all important as rice weeds.