Cyperus giganteus
Vahl
Cyperaceae
Chlorocyperus giganteus (Vahl) Palla
Cyperus berteroi Kunth
Cyperus conspicuus Steud.
Cyperus densiflorus Rchb. ex Kunth
Cyperus elatus Griseb.
Cyperus princeps Kunth
Papyrus elegans Schrad. ex Nees
Papyrus giganteus (Vahl) Schrad. ex Nees
Papyrus odoratus Willd. ex Nees
Papyrus spectabilis Schrad. ex Nees
Common Name:
The fibre
Photograph by: Daderot
Public domain
The fibre
Photograph by: Daderot
Public domain
Flowerhead
Photograph by: Andrés Hernández
© The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
General Information
Cyperus giganteus is a perennial herbaceous plant with stout culms 1 - 2 metres tall, often forming extensive colonies[
368- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 30
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1943
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains parts of the Flora of Panama.This, and other volumes of the series, are available for download from the Internet.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of material for weaving. The plant fibres are said to be of high quality and suitable for commercial use.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
315- Title
- Flora of Barro Colorado Island
- Publication
-
- Author
- Croat. Thomas B.
- Website
- http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/bioinformatics/croat/home
- Publisher
- Stanford University Press
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
- 0-8047-0950-5
- Description
- A very good flora of an area in Panama. Written some years ago, so some of the names have been changed. The book is out of print, but the whole flora is now available on the web.
,
368- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 30
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1943
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains parts of the Flora of Panama.This, and other volumes of the series, are available for download from the Internet.
Range
S. America - Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guyanas; C. America - Panama to Mexico; Caribbean
Habitat
Tropical moist forest,premontane wet forest and tropical wet forest; often forming extensive and dense colonies in open swamps near the coast in Panama[
315- Title
- Flora of Barro Colorado Island
- Publication
-
- Author
- Croat. Thomas B.
- Website
- http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/bioinformatics/croat/home
- Publisher
- Stanford University Press
- Year
- 1978
- ISBN
- 0-8047-0950-5
- Description
- A very good flora of an area in Panama. Written some years ago, so some of the names have been changed. The book is out of print, but the whole flora is now available on the web.
,
368- Title
- Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden. Volume 30
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- Missouri Botanical Garden; St. Louis.
- Year
- 1943
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains parts of the Flora of Panama.This, and other volumes of the series, are available for download from the Internet.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Perennial |
| Height | 1.50 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
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 rhizome is grated and used in an infusion to treat severe menstrual pains, especially during menstruation, by easing the menstrual flow[
348- Title
- Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
- Publication
-
- Author
- DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
- Website
- http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
- Publisher
- Smithsonian Museum
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
Agroforestry Uses:
The plant can be grown in water systems as a water purifier in pollution control[
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
Fibres fron the plant are used for matting and also for making ordinary and high quality translucent paper[
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 fibre is said to be of high quality, similar to linen (Linum usitatissimum) and rami (Boehmeria nivea)[
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 is said to deserve an important place in the paper industry[
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.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
