Cyperaceae
Zulustylis

Zulustylis hygrophila (Gordon-Gray) Muasya

First published in S. African J. Bot. 128: 330 (2019)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Tanzania to S. Africa. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Type
Type: South Africa, Natal, Port Edward, Huntley 701 (NU, holo.; BM, BOL, K, L, NBG, PRE, PRU, iso.)
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, erect or slightly drooping, to 44 cm tall.
Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes
Rhizome woody, usually ± upright in soil, 5 mm wide
Morphology Leaves
Leaf bases pale yellow to pale brown, rather spongy.
Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths
Sheaths entire, closely investing the flowering stems, soft, spongy, glabrous; blades scarcely developed, not exceeding 3 mm, filiform, glabrous, eventually deciduous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence up to 2.3 cm long, 3.5 cm wide of either 1 sessile spikelet with 1–4 pedicelled spikelets, or a single head of (1–)2–4 sessile spikelets with or without 1–4 additional pedicelled heads or spikelets, variable even on one plant.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels up to 1 cm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts 2–4, up to 5 mm long with apices up to 2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 10–22 mm long, 3–9 mm wide but can eventually attain 3.2 cm in length, compact when young but becoming irregular with age.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes golden brown, 6.1–8.2 mm long, 3.2–4.3 mm wide, acute, mucronate with 3-veined rounded keel
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigmas 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets white, broadly obovoid, 1.2–1.4 mm long, 0.8–1.1 mm wide, 3-angled, markedly transversely ribbed and faintly reticulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style base 3-winged.
Ecology
Brachystegia woodland on sand near edge of grassland; 450 m
Distribution
Flora districts: T8 Range: Zambia, South Africa
[FTEA]

Sources

  • 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0