Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Cyperus compressus in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 46.
today: The current name for this species is Cyperus compressus L.
original Latin diagnosis
Cyperus culmo triquetro nudo, umbella triphylla, pedunculis simplicibus, spicis alterno-digitatis lanceolatis distichis.
English translation
Cyperus with the culm three-angled [and] naked; with an umbel [with three bract divisions?]; with spikes alternate-digitate, lanceolate, [and] distichous.
| Cyperus | Cyperus |
| with the culm | culmo - ablative singular of second declension masculine noun culmus, -i |
| three-angled | triquetro - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective triquetrus, -a, -um; modifies culmo |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| naked; | nudo - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective seminudus, -a, -um; modifies culmo |
| with an umbel | umbella - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun umbella, -ae |
| [with three bract divisions?]; | triphylla - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective triphyllus, -a, -um; modifies umbella |
| with peduncles | pedunculis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun pedunculus, -i |
| simple; | simplicibus - ablative plural masculine of group B adjective simplex, simplex, simplex; modifies pedunculis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with spikes | spicis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae |
| alternate-digitate, | alterno-digitatis - alterno- (combining form of group B adjective alternis, -is, -e) + digitatis (ablative plural feminine of group A adjective digitatus, -a, -um); modifies spicis |
| lanceolate. | lanceolatis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective lanceolatus, -a, -um; modifies spicis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| distichous. | distichis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective distichus, -a, -um; modifies spicis |