Cyperaceae
Schoenoplectiella

Schoenoplectiella proxima (Steud.) Lye

First published in Lidia 6: 26 (2003)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Togo, Chad to Ethiopia to Namibia, SW. Arabian Peninsula. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelet ovoid, 2–5 × 1.5–2 mm, somewhat flattened, usually 5–8-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes grey to brown with green midrib, ovate, 1.5–2 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 3-branched
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet dark grey to brown, ellipsoid, 0.9–1.1 × 0.5–0.7 mm, 3-angular, transversely wrinkled.
Note
This species is cited from Tanzania by Haines & Lye; they mention Scott Elliot 3287 – I am not sure he actually collected in Tanzania, as all his collections I am aware of are either from Kenya or Uganda. I have not seen the specimen itself.
Ecology
Seasonally swampy grassland
Type
Type: Egypt, no locality indicated, Schimper 31 (B, holo., not found; P, iso.)
Morphology General Habit
Dwarf annual.
Morphology Stem
Stems tufted, 1–2 cm long (excepting the inflorescence bract which can add another 1–4 cm), round, 0.3–0.5 mm thick
Morphology Leaves
Leaves absent.
Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths
Leaf-sheath relatively wide, sometimes ending in an up to 5 mm long lobe, often with cleistogamous flower with long style and dark brown nutlets 1–1.5 mm wide, minutely wrinkled
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence an apparently lateral single greenish brown spikelet. Inflorescence bract erect, 1–4 cm long.
Distribution
Range: Chad, ?Zambia
[FTEA]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/13590969/13596570

Conservation
DD - data deficient
[IUCN]

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
Egypt, “prope Abu-Zabel”, 1835, Schimper 31 (B† holotype, P, M).
Morphology General Habit
Tufted annual, 1–6 cm tall (including inflorescence bract)
Morphology Leaves
Leaves absent; leaf sheath with extended lobe to 5 mm, sometimes enclosing basal female florets with 3-branched style
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence pseudolateral, overtopping bract up to 4 cm long; spikelets sessile, 2–4 × 1.5– 2 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes ovate, 1.5–1.8 mm long, light brown with green midrib, margin entire, apex mucronate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 3-branched, sometimes 2-branched
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet dark brown, obovoid, trigonous, 0.8–1 × 0.5–0.7 mm, transversely wrinkled; basal nutlet dark brown, c. 1.7 mm long.
Distribution
Botswana, Zambia. Also in Yemen, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia and Tanzania.
Ecology
In seasonally wet grassland; c. 900 m.
Conservation
Although few collections, probably not threatened.
[FZ]

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
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • 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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • 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