Cyperus involucratus Rottb.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Hillside Park, Harare

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Synonyms:	Cyperus alternifolius L. subsp. flabelliformis Kük. Cyperus flabelliformis Rottb.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Robust perennial, with a 2-10 cm thick creeping woody rhizome. Culms 25-150 cm × 1.5-7 mm, with sheaths and scales below. Leaves 0. Inflorescence a compound anthela, 5-25 cm in diameter, subtended by numerous (15-25) leafy involucral bracts; bracts 10-35 cm × 3-20 mm, spirally arranged. Secondary subumbels composed of few-many stalked inflorescence clusters. Spikelets flattened, brown, 15-30 flowered, arranged in digitate clusters. Glumes 1-2 mm, straw-coloured or golden to reddish-brown, shining; midrib 3-keeled. Stamens 3. Stigmas 3. Nutlet 0.8-0.9 mm, brownish, minutely papillose.
Notes:	Either C. involucratus or Cyperus alternifolius subsp. flabelliformis appear to be accepted in various literature and taxonomy databases.
Derivation of specific name:	involucratus: with a whorl of bracts (involucre), probably referring to the more numerous bracts subtending the inflorescence than in most other species.
Habitat:	In vleis and marshy grassland and on stream banks
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in Africa.
Malawi distribution:	N,C,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 300. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 19. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 12. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 25. Mariscus alternifolius 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 122. As Cyperus alternifolius Gordon-Gray, K.D. (1995). Cyperaceae in Natal Strelitzia 2 Pages 52 - 53. As Cyperus alternifolius subsp. flabellifolius (Includes a picture). Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H.J. (2010). Cyperaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 187 - 189. (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 87. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 110. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 119. 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 alternifolius

Other sources of information about Cyperus involucratus:

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Flora of Botswana: Cyperus involucratus
Flora of Mozambique: Cyperus involucratus
Flora of Zambia: Cyperus involucratus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Cyperus involucratus
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Cyperus involucratus

External websites:

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