The Cyperaceae reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004
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Cyperaceae

Cyperaceae: Sedge family
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Division:Magnoliophyta
Class:Liliopsida
Order:Cyperales
Family:Cyperaceae
Genera
Scirpus
Bolboschoenus
Schoenoplectus
Isolepis
Eleogiton
Trichophorum
Blysmus
Eriophorum
Eleocharis
Cyperus
Cladium
Rhynchospora
Carex

The Family Cyperaceae, or the Sedge Family, is a family of monocot flowering plants. Many of these plants superficially resemble grasses.

The water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) is a sedge. It is called in French liseron d'eau, but is neither a liseron nor a chestnut. In Chinese it is called ma-ti, which means horsekick. Papyrus, the ancient Egyptian writing material was made out of the sedge, Cyperus papyrus.