Cyperaceae
Bulbostylis

Bulbostylis atrosanguinea (Boeckeler) C.B.Clarke

First published in T.A.Durand & H.Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afric. 5: 611 (1894)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Eritrea to Angola, Yemen. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the montane tropical biome.

Descriptions

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]

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

Type
Type: Tanzania, Kilimanjaro, 11000 ft, Johnston 157 (K!, holo.)
Morphology General Habit
Densely tufted perennial 10–40(–70) cm tall from short creeping rhizome, often inconspicuous because of the dense stems.
Morphology Stem
Stems 0.4–0.7 mm thick, glabrous or with short spine-like hairs
Morphology Leaves
Leaf sheaths pale brown or with reddish dots or streaks, glabrous save for long hairs at mouth; outer sheaths often burnt off; blades 5–12 cm long, 0.5 mm wide, flat or channeled, with many spine-like hairs on margins; cells on upper surface rectangular
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a compact head of 3–8 spikelets, each up to 10 mm long and 3 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes pale to dark brownpurple or almost black, (2–)3–4 mm long, mostly acute, many-veined, glabrous or pubescent, often with frayed or ciliate margins
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets pale brown or grey, ovoid, 1.3–1.7 mm long, 0.8–1 mm wide, with obscure transverse wrinkles and longitudinal interrupted microsculpture.
Ecology
Afroalpine grassland, rocky moorland, ericoid scrub; (1900–)2400–3700 m
Note
" J. Bally 55 (Mt Kenya, 3300 m) and Townsend 2274 (Mt Kenya ± 2 km SE of Lake Ellis, 3425 m) represent a large-headed form with inflorescences up to 2.5 cm long. Maas Geesteranus 5492 had been determined as B. cardiocarpa (Ridl.) C.B. Clarke; Emson 41 had been identified as B. cinnamomea (Boeck.) C.B. Clarke. Glover et al. note on several sheets from the Maasai Mara that the species is grazed by all domestic stock.
Distribution
Flora districts: U1 U3 K3 K4 K5 K6 T2 T4 T6 Range: Ethiopia, Angola, Zambia, Malawi
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

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

  • 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