Cyperaceae

Coleochloa Gilly

First published in Brittonia 5: 12 (1943)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropical & S. Africa, Madagascar.

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

Morphology General Habit
Loosely or densely tufted perennials forming tussocks
Morphology Culms
Culms erect or slightly wanting, ± scapose, basal part of culms covered by remains of old leaf sheaths
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 2-ranked, grass- like; leaf sheaths open on ventral side with a ligule at sheath-blade junction represented by a line of hairs; leaf blades inrolled, conduplicate or ± flat, deciduous in unfavourable seasons
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Spikes of dense clusters of spikelets subtended by glume-like bracteoles Inflorescence paniculate with clusters of spikes on the tips of long peduncles, or appearing sessile
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets bisexual of 4–5 distichous unisexual glumes, the lowest two empty and upper 2–3 contain 1–2 male flowers and 1–2 female flowers; male flowers with 3 stamens, mucronate at apex; female flowers with soft- textured utricle-like nutlet overtopping glumes when mature, obscurely trigonous, long-beaked, scabrid or smooth on angles and beak
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 3-branched, continous with nutlet, style tips easily breaking off
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Hypogynous bristles slender or less so, colourless or tinged red in the top half, antorselly barbellate or smooth, deciduous with nutlet or detaching in groups
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed brown, oblong, caryopsis-like, loosely enveloped by nutlet.
Distribution
A genus of seven species in Africa and Madagascar.
[FZ]

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

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herbs, tufted or cushion-forming, with branched rhizome
Morphology Culms
Culms scapose or nearly so, compressed below, sometimes subcylindric
Morphology Leaves
Leaves distichous.
Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths
Sheaths persistent, ligule a line of hairs; blades deciduous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Involucral bracts leaf-like
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence paniculate with clusters of spikelets on peduncles emerging from the axils of the leaves up the culm. Spikes several to many in axillary and terminal, bracteate, peduncled fascicles, or these rarely (C. virgata) in sessile clusters, composed of several–many unisexual and bisexual spikelets
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracteoles glume-like, embracing or shortly sheathing at the base, aristate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets male or bisexual, composed of 4–5 distichous glumes, lower 2 empty and small, the upper 2–3 subtending male flowers, or 1–2 female and 1–2 male flowers
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Female flower parts loosely surrounded by a trigonous, sac-like membranous utricle. Male flower with 3 stamens (not always visible)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary basal.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style situated in the upper beak-like portion of the utricle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigmas 3, exserted
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth apically reduced to tufts of erect, hair-like structures surrounding the base of the utricle
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet subcylindric or compressedtrigonous, long-beaked.
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

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

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. 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 2026. 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