Cyperaceae
Cyperus

Cyperus chersinus (N.E.Br.) Kük.

First published in H.G.A.Engler (ed.), Pflanzenr., IV, 20(Heft 101): 525 (1936)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Tropical & S. Africa. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

J. Browning, K.D. Gordon-Gray†, M. Lock, H. Beentje, K. Vollesen, K. Bauters, C. Archer, I. Larridon, M. Xanthos, P. Vorster, J. Bruhl, K. Wilson and X. Zhang (2020). Flora Zambesiaca Volume: 14: Cyperaceae. M.Á. García, J.R. Timberlake (Eds). Kew Publish

Type
Botswana, Kwebe Hills, 1.ii.1898, Lugard 142 (GRA syntype, K); Botswana, Mochudi, 1.iii.1914, Rogers 6310 (BOL syntype, K).
Morphology General Habit
Clump-forming perennial from a narrowly bulbous base 5–12 cm long and 0.6–1.4 cm wide when dry, enclosed by thin pale brown leaf sheaths; rhizomes absent
Morphology Leaves
Leaves mainly basal, linear, 25–45 cm long, 3.7–5.9 mm wide in the middle, glabrous but minutely scabrid on margins and midrib and on the triquetrous tip
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Primary branches up to 9 cm long but usually less
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Spikes cylindrical, 17–25 mm long and 5–6 mm wide Inflorescence bracts 7–10, to 29 cm long and 3.5–4.2 mm wide; similar to the foliage leaves Inflorescence simply spicate-anthelate with 7–11 primary branches; peduncle 21–65 cm long and 1.3mm in diameter, weakly trigonous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 1(2)-flowered, 2.6–3.5 × 0.8–1.9 mm, densely crowded, spreading to slightly ascending
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes ovate, yellowish or pale brown; midrib not excurrent, dark green; rachilla flattened and widely winged
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3; filaments flattened; anthers 1–1.3 × 0.1 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 3-branched
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet 1.6–2 × 0.8–1.2 mm, ellipsoid to obovoid, trigonous, papillose.
Distribution
Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique. Also in South Africa.
Ecology
Dry Acacia or Colophospermum or Terminalia woodland on deep Kalahari sand; 5–1000 m.
Conservation
Least Concern because of its wide distribution.
Recognition
Within its group, distinct in its long bulbous bases covered by pale brown sheaths. This species is extremely similar to Cyperus phillipsiae (C.B. Clarke) Kük. from Somalia and coastal N Kenya.
[FZ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Plants and People Africa

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    • © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/