Fimbristylis complanata (Retz.) Link

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/177062/65922179

Conservation

LC - least concern

Cyperaceae, K Hoenselaar, B. Verdcourt & H. Beentje. Hypolytrum, D Simpson. Fuirena, M Muasya. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2010

Type

Type: India, König s.n. (LD, holo.; C, iso.)

Morphology General Habit

Tufted rhizomatous perennial 0.5–1.2 m tall.

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes

Rhizome woody, creeping with stems densely packed, 1.5–3 mm wide, glabrous or scabrid just below the inflorescence

Morphology Leaves

Leaf sheaths closed, glabrous except for hairy margin near the ligule which is a distinct rim of dense hairs; blades 1–35 cm long, flat, the margin with dense spine-like hairs

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence compound of a central spikelet and many stalked spikelets or groups of spikelets.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts 1–2 cm long, with scabrid margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 5–8(–12) mm long, ± 2 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes golden or dark brown to almost black, ± 3 mm long, acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style branches 3

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets brownish, trigonous, 0.8–1 mm long, ± 0.7 mm wide, with cells in longitudinal rows and scattered papillae; epidermal cells ± transversely rectangular.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Tufted perennial with short woody rhizome

Morphology Stem

Stems 25–180 cm long and 1–2 mm thick, flat to almost winged, glabrous or scabrid on margins just below the inflorescence

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with compressed sheaths and well-developed blades, the largest 5–20 cm long and 1.5–2 mm wide, glabrous but minutely scabrid on margin; ligule a rim of densely set short hairs

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a lax anthela with a sessile spikelet subtended by stalked spikelets and new groups of sessile and stalked spikelets; major involucral bracts usually shorter than the inflorescence

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 5–8 mm long, but to 12 mm long when fruiting, c. 2 mm wide, ovoid to lanceolate, acute, brown, 5–15-flowered

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes 2.5–3 mm long, ovate, brown to dark brown with pale margin; midrib keeled, ending in an acute apex or shortly excurrent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style with 3 stigmas

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlet 0.7–0.9 mm long, obovate, obscurely triangular, with cells in longitudinal rows and with scattered tubercles.

Distribution

N2 pantropical.

Ecology

Altitude range 1350–1500 m.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean, Orinoquia. Elevation range: 50–2160 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Arauca, Bogotá DC, Boyacá, Casanare, Cundinamarca, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Risaralda, Valle del Cauca.

Habit

Herb.

Conservation

IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC. National Red List of Colombia (2021): Potential LC.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, native grassland, artificial - terrestrial.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 50 - 2160 m.; Andes, Orinoquia, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Conservation

Preocupación Menor

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

India, no locality, n.d., König s.n. (LD holotype, C).

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, sparsely to densely tufted, to 80 cm tall; rhizome creeping, uniseriate or irregular, woody, up to 140 × 5–7 mm, clothed in imbricate scale leaves and leaf sheaths

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with flattened sheaths, angles glabrous or scabrid pubescent, mouth markedly sloping, white ciliate to glabrous; ligule a fringe of dense white short hairs; blade variable in development, 16–320 × 0.9–4.5 mm, or reduced to absent, occasionally falcate or twisted, especially in slender examples, densely to sparsely scabrid pubescent to glabrous, apex often scabrid

Morphology Culms

Culms flattened, ribbon- like, 1–3 mm wide, sometimes twisted

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal, anthelate, decompound, simple or up to 40 solitary (occasionally paired) spikelets or reduced to a fairly compact head of 3–4 spikelets; bracts 2–4, shorter to slightly exceeding inflorescence, apex abruptly acuminate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets many-flowered, compact, 4–9 × 2 mm, polygonal-terete, rachilla ragged

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes 2.2– 3.6 × 1.6–3.6 mm, breaking away ± mid-length, bases persistent to form rachilla wings

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style trigonous with thickened pyramidal base, mostly glabrous, 3-branched, usually exceeding style length

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlet 3-angled, obovoid, 0.7–1.15 × 0.4–0.75 mm, apex mostly rounded; surface reticulate, obscurely longitudinally ridged with scattered warts; epidermal cells subquadrate to transversely oblong arranged in longitudinal series, eventually velate.

Distribution

Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique. Also in Nigeria, Gabon, Rwanda, D.R. Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Angola, Namibia, South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, North West, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga) and Swaziland.

Ecology

Damp grassveld and swampy areas; 80–1300 m.

Conservation

Common and widespread; not threatened.

Note

Infraspecific status (subsp. keniaeensis) is given to specimens with clustered spikelets (Haines & Lye 1983, Verdcourt 2010), but the variation is such that subspecific recognition is not helpful. Fimbristylis consanguinea has been described as distinct from F. complanata based on a Drège gathering from the Eastern Cape, but the differentiating criteria are not reliable.

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Ecology

Alt. 50 - 2160 m.

Morphology General Habit

Herb.

Distribution

Native from Colombia.

Cyperaceae, K Hoenselaar, B. Verdcourt & H. Beentje. Hypolytrum, D Simpson. Fuirena, M Muasya. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2010

Type

Types: Kenya, Mt Kenya, W foothills, Cole’s Mill, R. E. & T. C. E. Fries 1072 (B†, syn., K!, UPS, isosyn) & W Kenya Forest Station, R. E. & T. C. E. Fries 728 (B†, syn., K!, UPS, isosyn.)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets more crowded often with 2 or more sessile spikelets together.

Ecology

Swampy grassland, moist places, seepage areas in degraded Juniperus and CrotonBrachylaena semi-deciduous forest, roadsides; often on black cotton soils; 1450–2700 m

Note

" Haines 4106 (Nakuru District, 105.6 km from Eldoret, 17 Apr. 1936 shows that both taxa occur together sometimes. Napper did not separate them.

Distribution

Flora districts: K3 K4 K5 K6 Range: Ethiopia

Use Materials

Materials (State of the World's Plants 2016).

Use Materials Unspecified Materials Chemicals

Materials (State of the World's Plants 2016).