Cyperus papyrus L.

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

Cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 1200 - 2820 m.; Andes.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

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

Type

Type: “Habitat in Calabria, Sicilia, Syria, Aegypto.” Lectotype: Herb. Linn. No. 15: Papyrus (UPS), designated by Simpson in Cafferty & Jarvis (ed.), Taxon 53: 179 (2004)

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, very robust, up to 5.5 m high, with a creeping rhizome, 2–5 cm in diameter, with a white central part of air-tissue and a lighter brown harder outside cylinder; the outside of the rhizome densely covered by blackish scales 5–10 × 5–10 mm wide.

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes

Rhizome with many roots.

Morphology Culms

Culms 200–500 cm long, basally 1–2.6 cm wide, apically 0.4–1 cm wide, trigonous, sometimes almost rounded, glabrous

Morphology Leaves

Leaf blades absent Leaf sheath brown to black, thick and leathery to sometimes almost woody, 4–26 cm long, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Involucral bracts pale-brown, 3–10. Leaf-like, spreading, lowermost 6–18 cm long, 0.8–1.7 cm wide, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence simple, primary branches up to 350, 7–40 cm long, triquetrous to rounded, at the base of the branches with reddish brown tubular prophylls 2.5–6 cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets on an elongated axis at the end of primary or secondary branches, up to 40 per axis, lanceolate to cylindric, 2.7–10 mm long, 0.4–1.3 mm wide, axis straight.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes pale brown to golden, ovate to obovate, 1.3–2.3 mm long, 0.8–1.2 mm wide, keel flattened, sometimes green, apex obtuse

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filaments 1.6–2.2 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers 0.6–1.4 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style with 3 branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlet grey, ellipsoid to ovoid, trigonous, 0.9–1.4 mm long, 0.4–0.5 mm wide, ± smooth

Figures

Fig. 31, p210

Ecology

Swamps and lake edges and -shores, sometimes forming dense and impenetrable floating mats in deeper water; 300–2000 m

Conservation

Least Concern (LC) due to its widespread distribution and abundance

Distribution

Range: Widespread in Africa; Mediterranean Flora districts: U2 U3 U4 K3 K4 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 Z

Cyperaceae, Miss S. S. Hooper. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Habit

Stems spongy, up to 5 m. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Characteristic mop-like inflorescences of very numerous primary, often sterile rays

Ecology

Forming rafts in open water and fringing lakes.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 1200–2820 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bogotá DC, Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Quindío, Tolima.

Habit

Herb.

Conservation

IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Distribution

Cultivated in Colombia.

Morphology General Habit

Herb.

Ecology

Alt. 1200 - 2820 m.

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

‘Habitat in Calabria, Sicilia, Syria, Aegypto’, Herb. Linn. Papyrus 15 (UPS lectotype), lectotypified by Simpson (2004).

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, very robust, up to 5.5 m high, with a creeping rhizome, 2–5 cm in diameter, with a white central pith and a lighter brown (green in life) harder outside cylinder; the outside of the rhizome densely covered by blackish scales 5–10 × 5–10 cm wide, rhizome with many roots; culms 200–550 cm long, basally 1–3.5 cm or wider, apically 0.4–1 cm wide, trigonous, sometimes almost rounded, glabrous

Morphology Leaves

Leaf sheath brown to black, thick and leathery to sometimes almost woody, 4–26 cm long, glabrous; leaf blades absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Involucral bracts pale-brown, 3–10, leaf-like, spreading, lowermost 6–18 cm long, 0.8–1.7 cm wide, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence simple, primary branches up to 350, 7–40 cm long and 1–3 mm in diameter, triquetrous to rounded, with reddish brown tubular prophylls 2.5–6 cm long at the base of the branches; spikelets spicately arranged towards the end of primary or secondary branches, up to 40 per axis, lanceolate to cylindric, 2.7–10 mm long, 0.4–1.3 mm wide, axis straight; glumes pale brown to golden, ovate to obovate, 1.3–2.3 mm long, 0.8–1.2 mm wide, keel flattened, sometimes green, apex obtuse

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3; filaments 1.6–2.2 mm long; anthers 0.6–1.4 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style with 3 branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlet grey, ellipsoid to ovoid, trigonous, 0.9–1.4 mm long, 0.4–0.5 mm wide, ± smooth.

Distribution

Caprivi, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique. Widespread in Africa; Mediterranean.

Ecology

Margins of lakes, rivers and swamps, generally in places of relatively high nutrient content. Can form floating mats in deeper water; 20–1200 m.

Conservation

Least Concern due to its wide distribution, but liable to local extinctions due to drainage works.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/164158/120152171

Conservation

LC - least concern

Use Environmental

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

Use Materials

Materials (State of the World's Plants 2016).

Use Materials Unspecified Materials Chemicals

Materials (State of the World's Plants 2016).