Eriocaulon is a genus of nearly 500 species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Eriocaulaceae, commonly known as pipeworts. Species of Eriocaulon have a wide distribution in the Americas, the British Isles, sub-Saharan Africa, central, east, south, and southeast Asia, Papuasia, Australia, and the Pacific.
Etymology
The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek ἔριον, erion, meaning 'wool', and καυλός, caulos, meaning 'stalk'.
Description
The species are mostly herbaceous perennial plants, though some are annual plants; they resemble plants in the related families Cyperaceae (sedges) and Juncaceae (rushes), and like them, have rather small, wind-pollinated flowers.
