Cyperus congestus
Vahl
Cyperaceae
Chlorocyperus congestus (Vahl) Palla
Cyperus badius Steud.
Cyperus bulbosus Lag.
Cyperus carinatus Nees
Cyperus cooperi (C.B.Clarke) K.Schum.
Cyperus incarnatus Link
Cyperus linkianus Schult.
Cyperus martianus Schult.
Cyperus multiceps Link
Cyperus paramatta Balb. ex Kunth
Cyperus paramatta Mart.
Cyperus polycephalus Link
Cyperus spiculosus Rchb.
Cyperus subbulbosus Roem. & Schult.
Mariscus congestus (Vahl) C.B.Clarke
Mariscus cooperi C.B.Clarke
Pycreus congestus (Vahl) Hayek
Common Name:
General Information
Cyperus congestus is a perennial, grass-like plant, producing a cluster of stems from a swollen, bulbous base; it can grow around 30 - 80cm tall. The plant appears to be annual in its first year, but regrows from a persistent rhizome[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and source of materials. It is an important source of food for the Kung Bushmen of Namibia. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
Range
Southern Africa - S. Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, KwaZulu-Natal, Zimbabwe
Habitat
Waste places, damp streambanks and estuaries, moist depressions in grassland, margins of temporary water bodies, drainage ditches, and as a weed of disturbed areas[
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.
].
Properties
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 0.50 m |
| Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
Tubers - cooked[
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.
,
]. A light roasting improves the flavour[
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 plant (part not specified) is made into a sauce for vegetables[
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.
].
Medicinal
None known
Other Uses
The culms are used for making ropes and for weaving mats[
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
