Coleochloa virgata (K.Schum.) Nelmes

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44393372/44542119

Conservation

NT - near threatened

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

Tanzania, Arusha Dist., Mt Meru, n.d., Fischer 624 (B† holotype); Malawi, Mt Mulanje, Lichenya Plateau, 8.vii.1946, Brass 16737 (K lectotype, BM, PRE, SRGH), lectotypified here.

Morphology General Habit

Caespitose perennial to 80 cm tall, culms densely tufted, cylindric, glabrous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves to 60 cm long, sheaths 3–15 cm long, blackened basally becoming yellow higher up culm; blades narrowly linear, convolute-cylindrical, 30–55 cm long by 0.7–1.4 mm wide, abaxial surface glabrous, adaxial surface densely minutely hispidulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Spikes obovoid, oblong-ellipsoid, 4–7 mm long; spikelets of 4–5 distichously arranged glumes, many per spike, lanceolate-elliptic, distinctly aristate, 3.5–4 mm long, laterally compressed Inflorescence of interrupted groups of sessile or very shortly pedicelled spikes clustered together, sometimes appearing second

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dark red to purplish red, often with a yellow base, 2–3 mm long (excluding awn), scurfy-hispidulous; awn 1–2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3, anthers 1.6–2.4 mm long with crest of white setae on apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style and nutlet not seen.

Distribution

Known only from Mt Mulanje in Malawi and (possibly) Mt Meru in N Tanzania.

Ecology

Shallow rocky soil or in rock crevices; 1800–2300 m.

Conservation

From herbarium specimens this appears to be a Mt Mulanji endemic. The type from Tanzania may have been named in error but this is now impossible to verify. Probably Near Threatened.

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

Type

Type: Tanzania, Arusha District, Mt Meru, Fischer 624 (B, holo.?)

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, densely tufted, the base of the plants blackened, up to 80 cm high.

Morphology Culms

Culms round, 37–60 cm long, 0.8–1.6 mm wide, glabrous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves up to 60 cm long. Leaves subtending the primary branches.

Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths

Sheath 2.5–5.2 cm long, blade 11–19.5 cm long, 1–2.6 mm wide Sheath blackened at base, higher up the culm yellow, 3–13.5 cm long; blade linear, convolute-cylindric above, 27–55 cm long, 1.4–3 mm wide, upper surface densely minutely hispidulous, its midrib shortly villous, under surface glabrous, apex acuminate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Spikes few to many in each panicle, obovoid, oblong-ellipsoid, or shortly cylindric, 4.5–8 mm long, 1.2–4 mm wide Inflorescence an erect, dense but interrupted, slender panicle, situated on the upper 3.5–10 cm of the stem and composed of 1–2 secondary panicle of mostly sessile clustered spikes on slender peduncles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets more or less oblong, 3–4 mm long, 1–2 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dark reddish-brown, the base often yellow, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, mostly conduplicate, 3–6 mm long (including the long apex, often more than 1 mm long), 1.1–1.4 mm wide, glabrous to scurfy-hispidulous, apex long-acuminate to awned

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3: filaments 2.8–3.2 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers 1.6–2.4 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Utricles immature; basal bristles probably more than half as long as the mature utricle

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed undeveloped.

Ecology

On shallow soil over rocks or in grassland; altitude unclear

Note

This species is known only from the type specimen, and from locations in Malawi. Unfortunately the type specimen was destroyed in WW 2. The description above is therefore based on the protologue, the description of Nelmes in K.B. 8 (3): 381 (1953) and the specimens from Malawi. According to the protologue this species approaches the West African E. pilosa Hook f. and also the larger E. abyssinica Rich.; it differs from both in its coarse-sharpened glumes. According to Nelmes ‘this remarkable species differs from all the others in Coleochloa by the densely hispidulous upper surface of the leaves and by its clustered and sessile spikelets’.

Distribution

Range: Not known elsewhere Flora districts: T2 Flora districts: Known from Mt Mlanje, Malawi,