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Useful Tropical Plants

Cyperus alopecuroides

Rottb.

Cyperaceae

+ Synonyms

Chlorocyperus alopecuroides (Rottb.) Grossh.

Cyperus bidentatus Poir.

Cyperus compositus R.Br.

Cyperus exaltatus digynus (Boeckeler) F.N.Williams

Cyperus fastigiatus Forssk.

Cyperus glaucus Willd. ex Kunth

Cyperus glomeratus Willd.

Cyperus poiretii Roem. & Schult.

Juncellus alopecuroides (Rottb.) C.B.Clarke

Juncellus pallidiflorus Peter

Common Name: Foxtail Sedge

Cyperus alopecuroides
Drawing of the flowering and fruiting plant
Photograph by: Rottbøll (Rottboell), C.F., Descriptionum et iconum rariores, p. 38, t. 8, fig. 2 (1773)
Creative Commons License

General Information

Cyperus alopecuroides is an evergreen, perennial grass-like plant with a very short rhizome; it produces a clump of stout culms with a bulbous base, growing up to 125cm tall[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
].
The plant is gathered from the wild for local use in making mats etc[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is sometimes cultivated in Egypt, being used in projects to restore saline land whilst also providing material for making mats etc[
991
Title
Cyperaceae of Economic, Ethnobotanical and Horticultural Importance: A Checklist
Publication
Kew Bulletin Vol. 56 No. 2, pp 257 - 360
Author
Simpson D.A.; Inglis C.A.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, London
Year
2001
ISBN
1-84246-038-2
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive checklist, giving the range, habitat and uses of over 500 species.
]. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Cyperus alopecuroides is a widespread species with no known major widespread threats. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet

Range

Tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, through Arabia to India, Indochina, Indonesia, Australia.

Habitat

Swamps and along the margins of lakes, from the lowlands up to 1,000 metres[
451
Title
Flora Malesiana Series 1
Publication
 
Author
Various
Website
http://www.archive.org
Publisher
Nationaal Herbarium Nederiand, Universiteit Leiden branch
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A massive treatment of the plants of the Malaysian Archipelago. Much of it has been made available to download from the Internet
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height1.20 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details


Requires a moist to wet soil[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Tolerant of saline soils[
991
Title
Cyperaceae of Economic, Ethnobotanical and Horticultural Importance: A Checklist
Publication
Kew Bulletin Vol. 56 No. 2, pp 257 - 360
Author
Simpson D.A.; Inglis C.A.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, London
Year
2001
ISBN
1-84246-038-2
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive checklist, giving the range, habitat and uses of over 500 species.
].

Edible Uses

We have no specific information for this species, but it is said that the inner base of the young stems of all species in this genus can be eaten raw, and make an excellent survival food in times of need[
85
Title
Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains.
Publication
 
Author
Harrington. H. D.
Publisher
University of New Mexico Press
Year
1967
ISBN
0-8623-0343-9
Description
A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.
].

Medicinal

The leaves are considered to be antibiotic and its pastes are applied externally in the treatment of cutaneous affections[
338
Title
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

:The plant is used in Egypt in projects for the reclamation of saline land[
991
Title
Cyperaceae of Economic, Ethnobotanical and Horticultural Importance: A Checklist
Publication
Kew Bulletin Vol. 56 No. 2, pp 257 - 360
Author
Simpson D.A.; Inglis C.A.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, London
Year
2001
ISBN
1-84246-038-2
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive checklist, giving the range, habitat and uses of over 500 species.
].

Other Uses

The stems are used for weaving mats[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
]. The mats have various uses, including as a packing material for transporting plates made from leaves[
1943
Title
Survey of useful wetland plants of South Odisha, India
Publication
Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge; Vol. 11 (4), October 2012, pp. 658-666
Author
Misra M.K., Panda A. & Sahu D.
Publisher
 
Year
2012
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The culms are used for matting and rush-bottomed chairs[
991
Title
Cyperaceae of Economic, Ethnobotanical and Horticultural Importance: A Checklist
Publication
Kew Bulletin Vol. 56 No. 2, pp 257 - 360
Author
Simpson D.A.; Inglis C.A.
Publisher
The Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew, London
Year
2001
ISBN
1-84246-038-2
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive checklist, giving the range, habitat and uses of over 500 species.
].
The inflorescence stalk and leaves are used to make mats that are used in Hindu marriage and thread ceremonies[
1943
Title
Survey of useful wetland plants of South Odisha, India
Publication
Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge; Vol. 11 (4), October 2012, pp. 658-666
Author
Misra M.K., Panda A. & Sahu D.
Publisher
 
Year
2012
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

The dried leaves and stems are used for thatching houses and sheds[
1943
Title
Survey of useful wetland plants of South Odisha, India
Publication
Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge; Vol. 11 (4), October 2012, pp. 658-666
Author
Misra M.K., Panda A. & Sahu D.
Publisher
 
Year
2012
ISBN
 
Description
 
].

Propagation

Seed -
Division.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-12. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cyperus+alopecuroides>

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