Pale Galingale - Cyperus eragrostis

Growing to about 90 cm tall from ground to seed heads. A tufted, rhizomatous plant. The stem is triangular in cross section and the plant has long, spreading, linear, mid-green leaves with a v-shaped cross section and umbels of rounded clusters of pale green flower spikelets.

Photograph showing inflorescence

Pond margins and damp areas.

Midsummer to autumn.

Perennial.

Occasional in Britain – previously found mainly in southern England, but is now spreading northwards.

Uncommon in Leicestershire and Rutland with the first record for VC55 coming from Markfield in 2005. It was not recorded in the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire.