Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl

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. 0 - 2800 m.; Amazonia, Andes, Guayana y Serranía de La Macarena, Llanura del Caribe, Orinoquia, Pacífico, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Conservation

Preocupación Menor

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/169008/65904087

Conservation

LC - least concern

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit

Annual or short-lived perennial, tufted

Morphology Leaves

Leaves shorter than the culms, flat, to 3 mm wide

Morphology Culms

Culms slender, 10–60 cm tall, glabrous or pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence loose, compound- umbellate with slender unequal rays, subtended by several very short rough-margined bracts, these ciliate at the sheathing base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets usually numerous, oblong to ovoid, mostly 5–10 mm long, ca. 2 mm thick or less, solitary or in clusters of 2 or 3; glumes ovate, 2–3 mm long, brown with green midrib, acute or apiculate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 1 or 2; style 2- forked

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes flattened-obovoid, whitish to pale yellow-brown, 1 mm long, longitudinally ribbed, the ribs minutely tuberculate.

Distribution

Grand Cayman. Cosmopolitan; one of the most widely distributed plants in the world, but often known by other names. One authority estimates that about 400 synonyms apply to this species.

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

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

Type

Type: Sri Lanka [Ceylon], Herb. Hermann 2, fol. 63 (BM, lecto.)

Morphology General Habit

Annual tufted plant or perennial with a short rhizome, 7–60 cm tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems ± 1 mm wide, compressed, glabrous or with scattered hairs above, the base covered by persistent hardened leaf-bases

Morphology Leaves

Leaves many, 5–50 cm long, (0.8–)2–3 mm wide, flat or channelled, glabrous except for dense short spine-like hairs along the margin and a few elsewhere, usually rounded at the apex when undamaged and sometimes with a short spine-like tooth; ligule on rim of dense short hairs.

Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths

Leaf-sheath wings very thin, brown or densely orange-brown speckled and ± hairy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of many spikelets arranged in (1–)2–3 orders of branches; main bracts leafy, 2–10 cm long; lowest bract of the spikelets reddish brown, ± 2 mm long, mucronate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets ovoid to cylindric, 4–12 mm long, 2–3 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes reddish brown with paler midrib and margins, 2.5–3 mm long, obtuse or subacute at the apex, the midrib not or scarcely excurrent, glabrous and shiny or sometimes some spine-like hairs on the midrib

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 2

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style compressed, ciliate, 2-branched

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets pale to dark brown or greyish, biconvex, 0.8–1.2 mm long, ± 1 mm wide, shiny, with 10 longitudinal grooves on each side and distinct transverse ribs but usually not tuberculate

Figures

Fig. 11, p59

Ecology

Grassland, swamps, river banks, bare black soil, cultivated areas (rice fields etc.) and other seasonally wet areas; sea-level–2000 m

Note

The synonymy of this species is very complicated. C.B. Clarke claimed there were 140 names for F. diphylla. He and Kern list a good deal of extra synonymy. Napper for F.W.T.A. ed. 2 recognises var. dichotoma, var. laxa (Vahl) Napper and var. pluristriata (C.B. Clarke) Napper (see K.B. 25: 436–7 (1971)) with different nutlet sculpture. A specimen lacking rootstock, unknown collector 254 (K) from Moshi by irrigation stream appears to be a form with smaller spikelets and nutlets more like F. bisumbellata. Robertson et al. 2005 (Kilifi District, Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve, behind mangroves) definitely has some tubercles on the ten nutlet ribs; more material needs investigation.

Distribution

Range: Very widespread in tropical and warm temperate regions Flora districts: U1 U2 U3 U4 K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 Z

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Andean, Guiana Shield, Caribbean, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 0–2800 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Bolívar, Boyacá, Caldas, Caquetá, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Chocó, Córdoba, Cundinamarca, Huila, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Putumayo, Quindío, Santander, Sucre, 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, savanna, shrubland, native grassland, artificial - terrestrial.

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

Sri Lanka, no locality, Herb. Hermann 2, fol.63 bottom left (BM lectotype), lectotypified by Koyama (1979).

Morphology General Habit

Annual or short-lived perennial herb, sparsely tufted, tunic of persistent leaf bases usually lacking; rhizome inconspicuous connecting shoot bases only

Morphology Leaves

Leaves numerous, up to culm length, sheaths glabrous to white pilose in upper half, mouth truncate, ciliate; ligule a fringe of dense, short white hairs, blade to 360 × 1.3–4.1 mm, linear, margins smooth or closely scabrid pubescent, apex often obtuse, scabrid

Morphology Culms

Culms 60–70(126) cm long, terete to faintly ridged, scattered white pilose on angles and below inflorescence

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence anthelate, decompound, compound or simple with from c. 75 solitary spikelets, or reduced to a head of c. 3 shortly pedicelled or sessile units; bracts (2)3(4), leaf-like, usually white pilose to shortly pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets compact, cylindric 4–12 × 2–3 mm, basal glumes early deciduous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes 2–2.5 × 1.7– 3.3 mm, shining chestnut red with greenish well-defined keel, produced apically into a short mucro

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 2(3)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style 1.6–2.1 mm long, flattened in plane of nut, 3-nerved, margins villous, base widened, style branches 2, shorter than style

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlet 0.9–1.24 × 0.65–0.95 mm, biconvex, ovate to almost orbicular in outine, apex minutely projecting; surface prominently (6)7–10 ridged longitudinally, cells between ridges transversely elongate.

Distribution

Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique. Widespread across the tropics and subtropics, also in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, D.R. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Namibia, South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West) and Swaziland.

Ecology

Common in damp mud on streambanks, dambos, seepages and drainage ditches by roadsides, also in grassland as isolated plants. Flowering period from November to March; 10–1600 m.

Conservation

Widespread; not threatened.

Note

In South Africa in early spring, in areas where from mid to late summer it is abundant, F. dichotoma can only be detected by the previous year’s inflorescences persistent on old plants, some of which develop new leaves at this time, while others appear dead. Among old plants nutlets may be found germinating, sometimes in quantity. Young plants produce their first inflorescences within 4 months. Fimbristylis dichotoma does not have the tolerance for saline conditions and hot springs as does F. ferruginea.

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Ecology

Alt. 0 - 2800 m.

Morphology General Habit

Herb.

Distribution

Native from Colombia.

Use

In Zimbabwe it is common as a weed of dambos (vleis) that have been cultivated.

Use Environmental

Environmental uses (State of the World's Plants 2016).

Use Animal Food

Eaten by animals (State of the World's Plants 2016).