Cyperus cyperoides (L.) Kuntze

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Cyperus cyperoides

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

Cyperus cyperoides

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

Cyperus cyperoides

Photo: Petra Ballings
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

Cyperus cyperoides

Photo: Mike Bingham
Lusaka SE 13km., Protea Hill Farm.

Cyperus cyperoides

Photo: Mike Bingham
Lusaka SE 13km., Protea Hill Farm.

Cyperus cyperoides

Photo: Mike Bingham
Lusaka SE 13km., Protea Hill Farm.

Cyperus cyperoides

Photo: Petra Ballings
Along Northern Loop, Nyika National Park.

Cyperus cyperoides

Photo: Petra Ballings
Along Northern Loop, Nyika National Park.

Cyperus cyperoides

Photo: Petra Ballings
Along Northern Loop, Nyika National Park.

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Cyperus macrocarpus (Kunth) Boeckeler
Mariscus cylindrystachyus Steud.
Mariscus macer Kunth
Mariscus sieberianus Nees
Mariscus sumatrensis (Retz.) J. Raynal
Scirpus cyperoides L.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Perennial, sometimes resembling annuals, 15─120 cm tall. Culms tufted or few, 6-90 cm long, bluntly 3-angled, hairless. Leaves with lowermost leaf-sheaths dark red to purple, upper ones green to pale brown; basal scales often splitting up into fibres. Inflorescence with 4-18 primary branches, sometimes with 1-6 sessile spikes at base of some stalked spikes; spikes cylindrical 0.7-3 cm long, with 25-180 spikelets.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: cyperoides: resembling Cyperus, because the species was originally named Scirpus cyperoides L.
Habitat: Forest clearings, path sides, former cultivation, grassland.
Altitude range: (metres) Up to 2300 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Widespread in tropical Africa, South Africa, Madagascar, Asia, Pacific and West Indies.
Zimbabwe distribution: N,W,C,E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 301. as Mariscus sumatrensis and M. cylindristachyus (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 19. As Cyperus cyperoides cyperoides

Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 12. As Cyperus cyperoides cyperoides and C. cyperoides pseudoflavus

Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 123.

Gordon-Gray, K.D. (1995). Cyperaceae in Natal Strelitzia 2 Page 129.

Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H.J. (2010). Cyperaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 209 - 210. Illustrations on pages 223-226 (Includes a picture).

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 89. As Mariscus sumatrensis, M. sublimus and M. macer subsp. macer

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 110. Under various subspecies.

Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 504 - 505. As Mariscus macrocarpus (Includes a picture).

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 118. As: Cyperus cyperoides cyperoides and C. cyperoides flavus

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 76. as Cyperus cyperoides flavus

Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 183. as Mariscus sumatrensis and M. cylindristachyus


Other sources of information about Cyperus cyperoides:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Cyperus cyperoides
Flora of Caprivi: Cyperus cyperoides
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Cyperus cyperoides
Flora of Malawi: Cyperus cyperoides
Flora of Mozambique: Cyperus cyperoides
Flora of Zambia: Cyperus cyperoides

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cyperus cyperoides
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cyperus cyperoides
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cyperus cyperoides
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cyperus cyperoides
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Cyperus cyperoides
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cyperus cyperoides
JSTOR Plant Science: Cyperus cyperoides
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cyperus cyperoides
Plants of the World Online: Cyperus cyperoides
Tropicos: Cyperus cyperoides
Wikipedia: Cyperus cyperoides


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Cyperus cyperoides.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=110340, retrieved 28 March 2024

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