Cyperaceae
Rhynchospora

Rhynchospora corymbosa (L.) Britton

First published in Trans. New York Acad. Sci. 11: 84 (1892)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropics & Subtropics. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is has environmental uses and social uses and as a medicine.

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
India, no locality, Herb. Linn. 71.48 (LINN holotype).
Morphology General Habit
Perennial robust herb to 185(200) cm tall, strongly to slenderly tufted, glabrous; rhizome short, linking shoot bases of tufts
Morphology Leaves
Leaves several, radical, cauline, gradually reduced upwards; sheaths entire, mouth broadly U-shaped or lipped; no ligule
Morphology Culms
Culm erect, nodose, internodes trigonous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence compound, a terminal corymbose cyme plus one to several lateral cymes developed singly from upper culm nodes, corymbs fairly compact
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts leaf-like
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets numerous per corymbose cyme, 6–10 mm long; lowest floret hermaphrodite, 1 nutlet maturing, upper florets male
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes 6–7 per spikelet, spirally imbricate, apex acute to apiculate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth bristles 3 + 3, usually uniform within a floret, not exceeding nutlet length plus persistent style base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style entire or minutely bifid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet obovoid, ± lenticular (biconvex), 4–4.5 (excluding style base) × 1.9–2.1 mm, each face smooth but with 1–2 longitudinal invaginations, surface eventually faintly papillose, crown (persistent style base) conical, 4–5 mm long.
Distribution
Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique. Widely distributed in the tropics and subtopics; also in Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal).
Ecology
Coastal swamps, river margins, lakes and shallow pools; 20– 1500 m.
Conservation
Widespread; not threatened.
[FZ]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 5–1900 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Arauca, Bogotá DC, Cauca, Chocó, Cundinamarca, Huila, Meta, Putumayo, Santander, Valle del Cauca, Vaupés, Vichada.
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, shrubland, native grassland, artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

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. 5 - 1900 m.; Andes, Orinoquia, Pacífico, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
Preocupación Menor
[CPLC]

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]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/177041/65923458

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
barba de indio
[UNAL]

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

Type
Type: “Habitat in India”; lectotype: Herb. Linn. No. 71.48 (LINN), chosen by Gordon-Gray in Strelitzia 2: 150 (1995)
Morphology General Habit
Leafy, up to 2 m high, with a thick creeping rhizome, at the base covered with closely imbricate tough leaf bases, split by scaly buds emerging forming new culms. Robust perennial.
Morphology Culms
Culms trigonous, longitudinally grooved, 45–150 cm long, 0.4–1.2 cm wide, less wide near the inflorescence, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence consisting of one terminal and several lateral corymbs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves subtending the primary branches 20–56 cm long, 0.8–1.6 cm wide; primary branches several, 2.5–11 cm long, scabrid near the apex, ending in a corymb. Leaf blade tough, linear, 45–96 cm long, triangular in dissection, 0.9–1.8 mm wide, apex acuminate, margins, midrib and apex (minutely) scabrid Leaf sheath pale yellowish-green to brown, 5.5–15 cm long. Leaves many, densely crowded.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets in clusters at secondary branches, lanceolate, 7.5–10 mm long, 0.7–2.5 mm wide; 6–7 glumes per spikelet, orange-brown to reddish-brown, the basal ones empty, ovate, 2.2–5.2 mm long, 1.3–3 mm wide, apex awned, the upper 2 glumes with flowers, one bisexual flower and 1 male flower above, elliptic-lanceolate, tightly rolled in, 6–8.5 mm long, 2.5–3.8 mm wide, apex acuminate to awned, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth bristles present, 6, subequal, 4–6.5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3: filaments 4–9 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers 1.8–3.5 mm long, apex apiculate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style unbranched, long, projecting from the spikelet apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet brown, obovoid, 2–4.4 mm long, 1.7–2.3 mm wide, minutely papillose, crown on top whitish, long-conical with one longitudinal groove on each of the two flattened sides, 3–6 mm long.
Ecology
Lake shores, riverbanks, shallow pools, swampy areas; sea-level to 1850 m
Conservation
Least Concern (LC) due to its wide distribution and common habitat
Note
" R. corymbosa looks like Cladium mariscus subsp. jamaicense in its coarse habit and wide and scabrid leaves. The spikelets in C. mariscus are much shorter though, and the branching pattern in the inflorescence is different.
Distribution
Flora districts: U4 T1 T4 T6 T7 T8 Z Range: Widespread in West, tropical and southern Africa; India
[FTEA]

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: threatened. Confidence: low confidence
[AERP]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/185368/8397630

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Uses

Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Materials
Used as material.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Social
Social uses.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

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

  • 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.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. 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 2025. 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/

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

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