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Useful Tropical Plants

Cyperus pectinatus

Vahl

Cyperaceae

+ Synonyms

Anosporum nudicaule (Poir.) Boeckeler

Anosporum pectinatum (Vahl) Lye

Atomostylis cyperiformis Steud.

Atomostylis flavescens Steud.

Cyperus nudicaulis Poir.

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Cyperus pectinatus is a perennial grass-like plant with a short rhizome; it produces a tuft of culms around 25 - 120cm tall[
610
Title
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Publication
 
Author
Beentje H.J.
Website
http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=396814
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
2002
ISBN
 
Description
Available on-line, a modern flora of East Africa.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild as a source of materials for weaving etc.
Cyperus pectinatus is widespread with stable populations and does not face any major 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

610
Title
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Publication
 
Author
Beentje H.J.
Website
http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=396814
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
2002
ISBN
 
Description
Available on-line, a modern flora of East Africa.

Range

Tropical and southern Africa - Mauritania to Sudan and Ethiopia, south to Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe, KwaZulu-Natal and Madagascar

Habitat

Marshes and dambos, on lake, stream and river margins and as part of floating aquatic vegetation mats; at elevations from 750 - 2,300 metres[
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.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.80 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



This species is closely related to Cyperus colymbetes. Both species have nutlets surrounded by corky tissue to make them long-floating. The culms of Cyperus pectinatus however are higher in number and much more slender than those of Cyperus colymbetes, and are rounded to trigonous, whilst those of Corylus colymbetes are almost winged[
610
Title
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Publication
 
Author
Beentje H.J.
Website
http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=396814
Publisher
Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
Year
2002
ISBN
 
Description
Available on-line, a modern flora of East Africa.
].

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

None known

Other Uses

The stems are used for weaving hats, mats, baskets and boxes[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-13. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cyperus+pectinatus>

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