Family: Cyperaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Environmentally versatile in tropical and subtropical climates
  
• Widely naturalized
  
• An environmental weed that threatens endangered species
  
• Sometimes considered a nuisance, forming floating islands that obstruct navigation and water flow
  
• Other Cyperus species are invasive
  
• Possible toxicity to humans
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Thicket-forming aquatic weed
  
• Seeds dispersed by water, wind and possibly by adhering to mud on vehicles or animals
  
• Spreads vegetatively
  
• May form a persistent seed bank
  
• Able to resprout after repeated cutting

Low Risk Traits:

• Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
  
• Palatable to grazing animals
  
• Ornamental
  
• Limited seed production may minimized dispersal if confined to water gardens or contained water features