Cyperaceae
Bulbostylis

Bulbostylis tanzaniae (Lye) R.W.Haines

First published in R.W.Haines & K.A.Lye, Sedges & Rushes E. Afr., App. 3: 1 (1983)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania to 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
Tanzania, Mpanda Dist., near Mpanda, 26.v.1957, Nye 204 (BM holotype).
Morphology General Habit
Tufted annual, 5–27(35) cm tall
Morphology Leaves
Leaves numerous, 1/4 culm length; leaf sheaths conspicuously long white-fringed, ligule 0; leaf blades 0.3–0.5 mm wide, filiform, inrolled, scabrid on margins
Morphology Culms
Culm erect, glabrous below to scabridulous upwards
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence anthelate of one sessile spikelet and several glabrous stalked spikelet clusters; bracts 2–5, to 3.5 cm long, occasionally longer and exceeding inflorescence, with long fine white hairs at base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 4–5(9) × 1–2 mm, basal glumes tardily deciduous, rachilla shortly winged
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes 1.9–2.1 mm, glabrous,midrib terminating before margin, reddish brown, paler hyaline margins markedly fimbriolate, apex rounded
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 3-angled, sparsely villous to glabrous, base small, persistent on nutlet, branches 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet trigonous, obovoid, off-white to pale pinkish-brown, 0.5–0.6 × 0.4–0.5 mm, faintly transversely rugose (few rugae), angles 3 with a single vertical row of papillae In mature nutlets the pericarp readily fractures into transparent pieces.
Distribution
Zambia. Also in Tanzania, Burundi and D.R. Congo.
Ecology
Shallow soil overlying laterite, sandy ledges and lakeshores, sometimes on copper-contaminated soils; 1200–1650 m.
Conservation
Widespread; not threatened.
[FZ]

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

Type
Type: Tanzania, Mpanda District: near Mpanda, Nye 204 (BM!, holo.)
Morphology General Habit
Slender annual growing in small tussocks, 5–25(–35) cm tall.
Morphology Stem
Stems 1–10, 0.5–0.8 mm wide, scabrid or shortly hairy at least above
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 5–10 cm long, usually less than 0.5 mm wide, strongly scabrid on margin
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence of one sessile spikelet and few to several stalked spikelets or additional groups of sessile and stalked spikelets.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts filiform, up to 3 cm long, often shorter than inflorescence.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 5–9 mm long, 2 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes reddish brown, paler along margins, ± 2 mm long, strongly hairy along the margin but central parts ± glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets greyish, obovoid, triangular, 0.6–0.7 mm long, ± 0.4 mm wide, transversely wrinkled, surface cells of various sizes, the triangular ribs with tubercles.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style base dark reddish brown, small, persistent.
Ecology
Seasonally wet grassland, often on sandy soil, also limestone and dry rocky areas; 1000–1400 m
Distribution
Range: Congo-Kinshasa, Zambia Flora districts: T4 T5 T7 T8
[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: low confidence
[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

  • 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