Cyperus plantaginifolius
| Cyperus plantaginifolius | |
|---|---|
| Herbarium specimen | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Cyperaceae |
| Genus: | Cyperus |
| Species: | C. plantaginifolius
|
| Binomial name | |
| Cyperus plantaginifolius | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Cyperus plantaginifolius is a species of sedge that is endemic to Madagascar.[1]
Description
Cyperus plantaginifolius is a herbaceous plant, one lacking woody parts, that grows perennially. It has stiff clums, the stems specific to sedges, with three sides and a smooth surface. They range in size from 15 to 45 centimeters (6 to 18 in) with a width of 1.4 to 2 millimeters.[2] They have rhizomes and short stolons.[3]
The plant's leaves are 10 to 25 cm (3.9 to 9.8 in) long with a width of 15 mm. They are very narrowly lanceolate, shaped like the head of a spear with the widest part below the midpoint of the leaf. They are rough on both the top and underside with edges that fold towards their bases. They are green and transition to purplish-red towards their attachment.[2]
The flowering head is densely packed and has multiple spikelets.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was first formally described by the botanist Henri Chermezon in 1920. He placed the species in the genus Cyperus within the family Cyperaceae. In 1925 he also described a variety of the species that he named minor. However, this is not an accepted subdivision according to Plants of the World Online.[1]
Range and habitat
Cyperus plantaginifolius is has a limited range. It is endemic to the mountain forests of the central parts of eastern Madagascar. Most often it grow on humid massifs at moderate elevations of 500 to 1,500 meters (1,600 to 4,900 ft). It is similar to relatives that also grow in rainforests, it lives in shaded leaf litter of the forests as part of the understory.[2]
See also
References
Citations
Sources
- Books
- Humbert, H.; Leroy, Jean-François (1937). Flore de Madagascar et des Comores : plantes vasculaires [Flora of Madagascar and the Comoros: vascular plants] (in French). Vol. 29 Famille. — Cypéracées. Tananarive, Madagascar: Imprimerie officielle. OCLC 12262365. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- Journals
- Griffiths, Megan; Ralimanana, Hélène; Rakotonasolo, Franck; Larridon, Isabel (December 2022). "A monograph of the African and Madagascan species of Cyperus sect. Incurvi (Cyperaceae)". Kew Bulletin. 77 (4): 819–850. doi:10.1007/s12225-022-10058-9. PMC 9607776.
- Web sources
- POWO (2025). "Cyperus plantaginifolius Cherm". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 October 2025.