Cyperaceae
Bulbostylis

Bulbostylis angustispicata (Lye) Verdc.

First published in Fl. Trop. E. Africa, Cyperac.: 95 (2010)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SW. Tanzania. 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

Type
Type: Tanzania, Mbeya District: Mbeya, Iyunga School, Wingfield 812 (K!, holo.; EA, iso.)
Morphology General Habit
Slender annual 10–22 cm tall with very small root-system.
Morphology Stem
Stems angular with prominent longitudinal ridges, 0.2–0.3 mm wide, minutely scabrid below inflorescences but otherwise glabrous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 1–7 cm long, 2–4 mm wide, with 3 longitudinal ridges on lower surface, scabrid on margin and ribs.
Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths
Sheaths strawcoloured to pale reddish brown, scabrid on ridges and with whitish hairs 0.5–2 mm long at the mouth
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence umbellate, 2–2.8 cm long, 1–3 cm wide, open, of 1 sessile spikelet and 3–5 stalks with either solitary spikelets or a group of 1 sessile and 1–2 stalked spikelets.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts reddish brown, 2–4.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glume-like, 2–5 mm long, scabrid and with white hairs on margin, with straw-coloured midrib extended into a scabrid awn 1–3 mm long; axes scabrid. Glumes medium to dark reddish brown with paler midrib, ovate, 1.8–2 mm long, 0.6–0.8 mm wide, minutely scabrid to almost glabrous save for white hairs on margin
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets linear-lanceolate, 3–6 × 0.8–1.2 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet cream, pyriform, 0.5–0.6 mm long, 0.4 mm wide, trigonous with 3 prominent greyish ridges and 5–7 prominent transverse undulations on each side.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style base dark reddish brown, under 0.1 mm long and wide, ± persistent
Ecology
Cultivated ground, school playing field, abandoned chicken runs; ± 1560 m
Note
SYN. Abildgaardia angustepicata Lye in Lidia 1(1): 33 (1985) & in Nordic J. Bot. 7: 43, figs. 7, 8 (1987) Lye gives no information on the affinities of this species.
Distribution
Flora districts: T7 Flora districts: Known only from the type
[FTEA]

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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • 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