Family:
Cyperaceae Juss.
Genus:
Cyperus L.

Cyperus microbracteatus (Lye) Lye

This species is accepted, and its native range is S. Tanzania.

[FTEA]

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

Type
Type: Tanzania, Songea District: ± 16 km W of Songea, Milne-Redhead & Taylor 8025 (K, holo.; K, iso., both out on loan)
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, slender, up to 31 cm tall, with short rhizome and small swollen culmbases covered by fibrous remains of old leaf sheaths.
Morphology Culms
Culms 15–30 cm long, 0.3–0.7 mm wide, bluntly triangular, glabrous below, minutely hairy above
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 2–3 per culm, up to 8 cm long. Leaf blade linear, 1–8 cm long, 1–2 mm wide, densely hairy on lower surface and along margin Leaf sheath green to reddish-brown, villous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Involucral bracts leaf-like to bract-like, spreading, 2, lowermost 0.6–1.6 cm long, minutely hairy particularly along the margin and on midrib below
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a small white (tinged with pale green or purplish) globose head 4–6 mm in diameter, of a single spike.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets lanceolate, 2.5–3 mm long, 0.6–0.8 mm wide, 2–3-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes whitish, ovate, 2.3–2.6 mm long, keel slightly excurrent, hairy, with ± 3 veins on either side
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens not seen
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 2–3-branched almost to base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet ellipsoid to obovoid, flattened, 1.5–1.7 mm long, 0.6–0.8 mm wide, minutely papillose.
Ecology
Miombo woodland on red loam; ± 1080 m
Conservation
Data deficient (DD) – needs information on possible threats
Note
The branching of the style can be in 2 or in 3, and the nutlet flattened or slightly triangular; hence, the taxon can be seen as intermediate with Cyperus section Bulbocaulis. Culm and glumes. Similar to K. tanzaniae but distinct in its hairy leaves.
Distribution
Flora districts: Known only from the type Flora districts: T8

Native to:

Tanzania

Cyperus microbracteatus (Lye) Lye appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Milne-Redhead [8025], Tanzania Kyllinga microbracteata K000416320 isotype Yes
Milne-Redhead [8025], Tanzania Kyllinga microbracteata K000416321 holotype Yes

First published in R.W.Haines & K.A.Lye, Sedges & Rushes E. Afr., App. 3: 2 (1983)

Not accepted by

  • Govaerts, R. & Simpson, D.A. (2007). World Checklist of Cyperaceae. Sedges: 1-765. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [Cited as Kyllinga microbracteata.]
  • Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne. [Cited as Kyllinga microbracteata.]
  • Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H. (2010). Cyperaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa: 1-466. [Cited as Kyllinga microbracteata.]

  • 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 Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0