Cyperaceae
Bulbostylis

Bulbostylis laxespicata (Lye) Lye

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

Descriptions

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]

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
Zambia, Mongu, 29.i.1966, Robinson 6820 (K holotype).
Morphology General Habit
Delicate, tufted flexuous annual up to 40 cm tall; rhizome and tunic of leaf bases lacking
Morphology Leaves
Leaves numerous, 1/3 –1/2 culm length; leaf sheath light orange, mouth conspicuously long white- fringed, ligule 0; leaf blades to 150 × 0.2–0.3 mm, filiform, glabrous to slightly scabrid
Morphology Culms
Culms 0.25–0.4 mm wide, ridged and furrowed, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence bisanthelate, of one central sessile spikelet and few to several stalked spikelets, on glabrous branches 30–35 mm long; bracts 3–4, most under 10 mm, base glume-like, with or without a few long white hairs, narrowed apically to scabrid awn
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 5–7 mm long, ovate, apex acute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes few, spiral, 1.8–2 mm, brown, margins entire to shortly ciliate, flanks slightly scabrid to almost glabrous, apex shortly apiculate in lower glumes, upper not mucronate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style base persistent on nutlet, branches 3, usually shorter than style
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet 0.7–0.8 × 0.5–0.6 mm, white to grey-white at maturity, obovoid, trigonous,surface smooth (velate), papillae may be visible below outer surface.
Distribution
Zambia.
Ecology
Sandy grassland at edge of woodland and Kalahari sandveld; 1000–1100 m.
Conservation
Apparently endemic to the Mongu area of W Zambia; possibly threatened.
[FZ]

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