Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Cyperus flavescens in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 46.
today: The current name for this species is Pycreus flavescens (L.) Rchb.
original Latin diagnosis
Cyperus culmo triquetro nudo, umbella triphylla, pedunculis simplicibus inaequalibus, spicis confertis lanceolatis.
English translation
Cyperus with the culm three-angled [and] naked; with an umbel [with three bract divisions?]; with peduncles simple [and] unequal; [and] with spikes packed closely together [and] lanceolate.
| 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] |
| unequal; | inaequalibus - ablative plural masculine of group B adjective inaequalis, -is, -e; modifies pedunculis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with spikes | spicis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae |
| packed closely together | confertis - ablative plural feminine of perfect passive participle of fourth conjugation verb confercio, confercire, confersi, confertum; modifies spicis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| lanceolate. | lanceolatis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective lanceolatus, -a, -um; modifies spicis |