- Family:
- Cyperaceae Juss.
- Genus:
- Tetraria P.Beauv.
Tetraria usambarensis K.Schum.
[FTEA]
Cyperaceae, K Hoenselaar, B. Verdcourt & H. Beentje. Hypolytrum, D Simpson. Fuirena, M Muasya. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2010
- Type
- Type: Tanzania, Usambara Mountains, Holst 131 (B†, holo)
- Morphology General Habit
- Slender perennial, up to 60 cm tall; rounded base enclosed in black fibres, the remains of old leaf bases.
- Morphology Culms
- Culms tufted, rounded-trigonous, 10–50 cm long, 0.5–1.5 mm wide, with longitudinal ridges, glabrous
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves basal and up the stem. Leaf sheaths blackened, 3.5–5 cm long; basal leaves shorter than culm; cauline leaves linear, involute, flexuous above, 27–33 cm long, 1.2–2 mm wide, some exceeding the culm, rigid, apex often blackened, acuminate, scabrid
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescence a simple panicle, 5–15 cm long.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
- Spikelets 1–5 per cluster, ovoid, 5–10 mm long, 1.5–3.5 mm wide.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
- Glumes 8–11 per spikelet, distichously arranged, brown, lower 7–9 empty, ovateelliptic, 4.5–5 mm long, 2.5–3.5 mm wide, awned, upper 2 subtending bisexual flowers, ovate, 5.5–7 mm long, 1.5–3 mm wide, keel 1-veined ending in the acuminate to awned apex
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
- Perianth bristles 3–6, minute, scabrid
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens 3.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
- Filaments 5–6 mm long.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
- Anthers 4–4.5 mm long, with conspicuous flat elongate connectives far exceeding the anthers
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
- Style long, flexuous, base pyramidal, hispidulous, persistent, branches 3, densely hairy
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Nutlet brown, ovoid-ellipsoid to obovoid, 3–4 mm long, 1.5–1.8 mm wide, with 3 strong pale-coloured ribs, on a stalk ± 1 mm long
- Ecology
- Dry sandy places; 1750 m
- Distribution
- Range: Not known elsewhere Flora districts: T3
Native to:
Tanzania
Tetraria usambarensis K.Schum. appears in other Kew resources:
First published in H.G.A.Engler, Pflanzenw. Ost-Afrikas, C: 128 (1895)
Accepted by
- Govaerts, R. & Simpson, D.A. (2007). World Checklist of Cyperaceae. Sedges: 1-765. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Govaerts, R. (2004). World Checklist of Monocotyledons Database in ACCESS: 1-54382. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H. (2010). Cyperaceae. Flora of Tropical East Africa: 1-466.
Literature
Kew Backbone Distributions
- Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H. (2010). Cyperaceae. Flora of Tropical East Africa: 1-466.
Flora of Tropical East Africa
- P.O.A. C: 128 (1895)
- Sedges & Rushes E. Afr.: 320 (1983).
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Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
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Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
© Copyright 2022 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 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
© Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0