Cyperaceae
Bulbostylis

Bulbostylis pluricephala (Lye) Lye

First published in Nordic J. Bot. 28: 517 (2010)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NE. Zambia. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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
Kasama Dist., Chilubula, 12.ii.1961, Robinson 4381 (K holotype, MT).
Morphology General Habit
Annual not tufted, up to 20 cm tall,; rhizome lacking, root system not well-developed
Morphology Leaves
Leaves approximately ½ culm length; leaf sheath light brown, mouth oblique, long white-fringed; leaf blades glabrous, ridged, to 60 × 0.2–03 mm, filiform, minutely scabrid near apex
Morphology Culms
Culms 0.2–0.5 mm wide, ridged and furrowed, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence anthelate, variable, one sessile group of 2–6 spikelets with an additional 1–3 glabrous inflorescence branches with groups of spikelets, or reduced to a single group of spikelets; bracts 1–4, 3–22 mm long, shorter than inflorescence, with few long white hairs before narrowing into an arista-like extension
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 3–4 × 1–2 mm, ovate, angular, apex acute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes spiral, few, 1.3–1.8 mm long, ovate-oblong, dark reddish brown, mid-nerve ending before apex, flanks glabrous to scabridulous, margins shortly hairy
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 1–2
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 3-branched, brown, flattened, base persistent on nutlet
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet 0.7–0.8 × 0.5– 0.6 mm, obovoid, trigonous, reddish brown at maturity with pale ribs, surface (× 40) smooth, covered with non-cellular colourless transparent layer readily detaching into fragments.
Distribution
Zambia. Not known elsewhere.
Ecology
Sandy ground beside roads; 1000–1400 m.
Conservation
Endemic to NE Zambia; 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: 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

  • 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