Cyperaceae
Bulbostylis

Bulbostylis lolokweensis Verdc.

First published in Fl. Trop. E. Africa, Cyperac.: 111 (2010)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NE. Kenya. 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
Typus: Kenya, Northern Frontier District: Ol Lolokwe [Ol Doinyo Sabachi], opposite Subata repeater station, Gilbert 5377b (K!, holo.) (see note)
Morphology General Habit
Tufted annual 8–20 cm tall with very reduced rootstock
Morphology Leaves
Leaf sheaths with long hairs; blades linear, up to 8 cm long, with sparse short spine-like hairs
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence of a single terminal spikelet or with a second beneath but with separated, subsessile bracts 2–4 mm long or sometimes absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets ± 5 mm long, 1.5–3.5 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes chestnut with a brighter chestnut keel, 2.5 mm long, 2 mm wide, subacute but midrib not produced, with dense hairs at margin and scattered hairs and glands on the surface
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets white, trigonous, 1 mm long and wide, with clearly trabeculate sculpture.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style-base not persistent.
Ecology
Rocks with semi-permanent stream and wet flushes, with Myrothamnus, Isoetes and Utricularia; ± 1650 m
Note
The Kew specimen of Gilbert 5377 is a complicated mixture and the original determination B. densa is correct for most of the material, which has papillate nutlets. I had hoped that the original material at EA would provide further material of the new species but both sheets are entirely of B. densa. The new taxon is perhaps close to B. leiolepis but that has a persistent style base.
Distribution
Flora districts: Known only from the type Flora districts: K1
[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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

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