Cyperaceae

Cladium P.Browne

First published in Civ. Nat. Hist. Jamaica: 114 (1756)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Cosmopolitan.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Tall coarse perennials with thick rhizomes
Morphology Leaves
Leaves long and narrow, with rough margins
Morphology Culms
Culms tall, the inflorescence a compound terminal panicle with numerous small clusters of sessile spikelets, or a series of axillary panicles
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets mostly 1–3-flowered with usually only the lowest flower fertile; scales imbricate, the lower ones empty
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers perfect, with perianth of bristles or lacking. Stamens 2–3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 3-cleft, the thickened base often persistent on the apex of the achene as a tubercle
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes somewhat flattened or 3-angled, smooth or rugose.
Distribution
A genus of 4 species of pantropical and warm-temperate distribution. A single species occurs in the Cayman Islands.
[Cayman]

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

Morphology General Habit
Robust perennials; stem base, rhizome and stolon swollen; aerial stem sparsely noded, internodes hollow
Morphology Leaves
Leaves cauline, V-shaped to flat, midribs and margins scabrid, eligulate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence paniculate, a series of short, club-shaped branches, bearing numerous short stalked and sessile spikelets comprising prophyll, 3–5 sterile, (1)2–3 fertile glumes, florets bisexual, bristles absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 2(3)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style branches 2(3), base corky, persistent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets rounded, apex beaked, surface smooth, shining.
Distribution
A genus of 2 or 3 species, only one from Africa that Kükenthal (1938) named Cladium mariscus (L.) Pohl subsp. jamaicense (Crantz) Kük. as there is resemblance in fruit size and shape to the American C. jamaicense, and in spikelet size and prolongation of anther connective to the European C. mariscus.
[FZ]

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

Morphology General Habit
Mostly robust perennial herbs with thick rhizomes, sometimes with stolons, up to several meters long
Morphology Culms
Culms hollow except for the nodes
Morphology Leaves
Leaves sheathing; ligule 0 Basal and cauline leaves present.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Involucral bracts leaf-like
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Spikes on short primary and secondary branches, composed of several spikelets Inflorescence a long panicle, sometimes shortly corymbose, never umbellate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets composed out of 4–11 spirally arranged, imbricate glumes, perfecting 1–3 (rarely more) nutlets, the lower 3–5 glumes sterile, the next glumes containing reduced and bisexual flowers perfecting a nutlet
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth segments absent, or rarely present, then very small
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 2(–3)
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style linear, branches 2–3, basally thickened
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet small, usually bluntly trigonous, the base of the style persistent
[FTEA]

Common Names

unknown
maruwarri

Sources

  • EBC Common Names

    • Common Names from Kew's Economic Botany Collection https://www.kew.org/science/collections-and-resources/collections/economic-botany-collection

  • 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

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • 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.

  • 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