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Eleocharis atropurpurea (Retz.) Presl

Synonym	:	Aplostemon atropurpureum (Retz.) Raf.
Family	:	Cyperaceae
Flowering and fruiting period	:	November-December
Distribution		Pantropical
Distribution in Kerala	:	Alappuzha, Malappuram,Kozhikkode
Habitat	:	Wet fields and marshes
IUCN status		Least concerned
Key botanical Charcters :  Annual, 2-15 cm, forming small tufts.Roots fibrous. Stem with 5-6 obtuse angles separated by deep grooves.Lower closed sheath 3-5 mm, brown or reddish, upper to 10 mm, green or grey green, base often reddish, with 5-6 green nerves, mouth oblique; blades 0 or tip c. 1 mm. Spike, ovoid or globose, with or more glumes in five spiral rows, all fertile; basal glume not distinct or slightly larger and with more pronounced mid-nerve than in other glumes; glumes, cymbiform, with prominent, green mid-nerve not quite reaching obtuse apex, sides brown or dark reddish brown, nerves obscure or missing, margins more or less scarious. Perianth bristles rising from white collar, 4-7 or 0, to as long as nut, white or pale brownish; stamens 1-2, anthers. Nut obovoid, bi-convex, apex rounded, basal part gradually tapering, obscurely or finely reticulate, finally black, glossy; stylopodium much wider than long, white, clearly constricted from nut.