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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Cyperus esculentus''
| image = Chufa.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Poales]]
| familia = [[Cyperaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Cyperus]]''
| species = '''''C. esculentus'''''
| binomial = ''Cyperus esculentus''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
'''''Cyperus esculentus''''' ('''Chufa Sedge''', '''Yellow Nutsedge''', '''Tigernut Sedge''', '''Earthalmond''') is a species of [[sedge]] native to warm temperate to subtropical regions of the [[Northern Hemisphere]]. It is an annual or perennial plant, growing to 90 cm tall, with solitary stems growing from a [[tuber]]. The stems are triangular in section, and bear slender [[leaf|leaves]] 3-10 mm wide. The flowers of the plant are distinctive, with a cluster of flat oval seeds surrounded by four hanging leaves positioned 90 degrees from each other. The plant foliage is very tough and fibrous, and is often mistaken for a [[grass]].
There are several [[variety (biology)|varieties]]:
*''Cyperus esculentus'' var. ''esculentus''. Mediterranean region east to India.
*''Cyperus esculentus'' var. ''hermannii''. Florida.
*''Cyperus esculentus'' var. ''leptostachyus''. United States.
*''Cyperus esculentus'' var. ''macrostachyus''. United States.
*''Cyperus esculentus'' var. ''sativa''. Asia, cultivated origin.
===Cultivation and uses===
The [[tuber]]s are [[edible]], with a slightly sweet, nutty flavour, compared to the more bitter tasting tuber of the related ''[[Cyperus rotundus]]'' (Purple Nutsedge). They are quite hard and are generally soaked in water before they can be eaten. They have various uses; in particular, they are used in Spain to make [[horchata]]. They are sometimes known by their [[Spanish language|Spanish]] name, "chufa".
Zohary and Hopf consider this tuber "ranks among the oldest cultivated plants in [[Ancient Egypt]]." Although noting that "Chufa was no doubt an important food element in ancient Egypt during dynastic times, its cultivation in ancient times seems to have remained (totally or almost totally) an Egyptian specialty."<ref>Daniel Zohary and Maria Hopf, ''Domestication of plants in the Old World'', third edition (Oxford: University Press, 2000), p. 198</ref> They were used to make cakes in ancient Egypt. Presently, they are cultivated mainly, at least for extended and common commercial purposes, in [[Spain]], where they were introduced by [[Arabs]], almost exclusively in the [[Valencia (autonomous community)|Valencia]] region.
Tigernuts have excellent nutritional qualities with a fat composition similar to olives and a rich mineral content, especially [[phosphorus]] and [[potassium]]. Tigernuts are also [[gluten]]- and [[cholesterol]]-free, and have a very low [[sodium]] content. The oil of the tuber was found to contain 18% saturated ([[palmitic acid]] and [[stearic acid]]) and 82% unsaturated ([[oleic acid]] and [[linoleic acid]]) [[fatty acid]]s.<ref>http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0926-6690(96)89446-5 </ref>
According to the ''Consejo Regulador de Chufa de Valencia'' (Regulating Council for Valencia's Tigernuts) [http://www.chufadevalencia.org/], the nutritional composition/100 ml of a classical [[Horchata|Horchata de Chufas]], or ''Orxata de Xufes'' in [[Catalan language|Valencian]] language, is as follows: energy content around 66 kcal, [[protein]]s around 0.5 g, [[carbohydrate]]s over 10 g with [[starch]] at least 1.9 g, [[fat]]s at least 2 g.
It can replace milk in the diet of people intolerant to [[lactose]].
Since the tubers contain 20-36% oil, ''C. esculentus'' has been suggested as potential oil crop for the production of [[biodiesel]]. <ref>http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0926-6690(96)89446-5 </ref>
It is extremely difficult to remove permanently when it is considered to be an intrusive [[weed]] in [[lawn]]s and [[garden]]s. This is due to the plant having a stratified and layered root system, with tubers and roots being interconnected to each other to a depth of 50 cm or more{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. The tubers are connected by fragile roots that are extremely prone to snapping when pulled on, making the plant extremely difficult to remove with its entire root system intact, and the plant can quickly regenerate if even a single tuber is left in place. Repeated applications of Gordon's Trimec Plus have proven effective in eliminating this weed from lawns.
{{Wmog|Cyperus esculentus}}
== Notes ==
<references/>
[[Category:Flora of Canada]]
[[Category:Edible nuts and seeds]]
[[Category:Cyperaceae]]
[[Category:Valencia (autonomous community)]]
[[Category:Lawn weeds]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Cyperus esculentus''
| image = Chufa.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Poales]]
| familia = [[Cyperaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Cyperus]]''
| species = '''''C. esculentus'''''
| binomial = ''Cyperus esculentus''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
'''''Cyperus esculentus''''' ('''Chufa Sedge''', '''Yellow Nutsedge''', '''Tigernut Sedge''', '''Earthalmond''') is a species of [[sedge]] native to warm temperate to subtropical regions of the [[Northern Hemisphere]]. It is an annual or perennial plant, growing to 90 cm tall, with solitary stems growing from a [[tuber]]. The stems are triangular in section, and bear slender [[leaf|leaves]] 3-10 mm wide. The flowers of the plant are distinctive, with a cluster of flat oval seeds surrounded by four hanging leaves positioned 90 degrees from each other. The plant foliage is very tough and fibrous, and is often mistaken for a [[grass]].
There are several [[variety (biology)|varieties]]:
*''Cyperus esculentus'' var. ''esculentus''. Mediterranean region east to India.
*''Cyperus esculentus'' var. ''hermannii''. Florida.
*''Cyperus esculentus'' var. ''leptostachyus''. United States.
*''Cyperus esculentus'' var. ''macrostachyus''. United States.
*''Cyperus esculentus'' var. ''sativa''. Asia, cultivated origin.
===Cultivation and uses===
The [[tuber]]s are [[edible]], with a slightly sweet, nutty flavour, compared to the more bitter tasting tuber of the related ''[[Cyperus rotundus]]'' (Purple Nutsedge). They are quite hard and are generally soaked in water before they can be eaten. They have various uses; in particular, they are used in Spain to make [[horchata]]. They are sometimes known by their [[Spanish language|Spanish]] name, "chufa".
Zohary and Hopf consider this tuber "ranks among the oldest cultivated plants in [[Ancient Egypt]]." Although noting that "Chufa was no doubt an important food element in ancient Egypt during dynastic times, its cultivation in ancient times seems to have remained (totally or almost totally) an Egyptian specialty."<ref>Daniel Zohary and Maria Hopf, ''Domestication of plants in the Old World'', third edition (Oxford: University Press, 2000), p. 198</ref> They were used to make cakes in ancient Egypt. Presently, they are cultivated mainly, at least for extended and common commercial purposes, in [[Spain]], where they were introduced by [[Arabs]], almost exclusively in the [[Valencia (autonomous community)|Valencia]] region.
Tigernuts have excellent nutritional qualities with a fat composition similar to olives and a rich mineral content, especially [[phosphorus]] and [[potassium]]. Tigernuts are also [[gluten]]- and [[cholesterol]]-free, and have a very low [[sodium]] content. The oil of the tuber was found to contain 18% saturated ([[palmitic acid]] and [[stearic acid]]) and 82% unsaturated ([[oleic acid]] and [[linoleic acid]]) [[fatty acid]]s.<ref>http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0926-6690(96)89446-5 </ref>
According to the ''Consejo Regulador de Chufa de Valencia'' (Regulating Council for Valencia's Tigernuts) [http://www.chufadevalencia.org/], the nutritional composition/100 ml of a classical [[Horchata|Horchata de Chufas]], or ''Orxata de Xufes'' in [[Catalan language|Valencian]] language, is as follows: energy content around 66 kcal, [[protein]]s around 0.5 g, [[carbohydrate]]s over 10 g with [[starch]] at least 1.9 g, [[fat]]s at least 2 g.
It can replace milk in the diet of people intolerant to [[lactose]].
Since the tubers contain 20-36% oil, ''C. esculentus'' has been suggested as potential oil crop for the production of [[biodiesel]]. <ref>http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0926-6690(96)89446-5 </ref>
It is extremely difficult to remove permanently when it is considered to be an intrusive [[weed]] in [[lawn]]s and [[garden]]s. This is due to the plant having a stratified and layered root system, with tubers and roots being interconnected to each other to a depth of 50 cm or more{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. The tubers are connected by fragile roots that are extremely prone to snapping when pulled on, making the plant extremely difficult to remove with its entire root system intact, and the plant can quickly regenerate if even a single tuber is left in place. Repeated applications of Gordon's Trimec Plus have proven effective in eliminating this weed from lawns.
{{Wmog|Cyperus esculentus}}
== Notes ==
<references/>
[[Category:Flora of Canada]]
[[Category:Edible nuts and seeds]]
[[Category:Cyperaceae]]
[[Category:Valencia (autonomous community)]]
[[Category:Lawn weeds]]
