Cyperus imbricatus

Cyperus imbricatus Retz., Observ. Bot. 5: 12 1788. (Syn: Cyperus anabaptistus Steud.; Cyperus biceps Vahl; Cyperus campestris Schrad. ex Nees; Cyperus confertiflorus Schult.; Cyperus densiflorus Link; Cyperus densispicatus Hayata; Cyperus densispicatus Cherm. [Illegitimate]; Cyperus digitatus Nees [Illegitimate]; Cyperus flexifolius Boeckeler; Cyperus imbricatus var. capitatus (Boeckeler) Kük. …..; Cyperus involucratus Poir. [Illegitimate]; Cyperus macrosciadion Steud.; Cyperus mediorubescens Hayata; Cyperus obscurus Nees; Cyperus radiatus Vahl [Illegitimate] …; Cyperus roylei Arn.; Cyperus semidives Steud.; Cyperus spicatus J.Presl & C.Presl; Cyperus verticillatus Roxb.; Cyperus viridispicatus Boeckeler; Dichostylis radiata (Vahl) Palla; Mariscus leptochloides Steud.);

Cyperus imbricatus is distributed almost pantropical. In India it is known to occur in Assam, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh (Satna), Meghalaya (Khasia), Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu (Madurai, Nilgiri- Kodaikannal water falls, Pykara) and West Bengal (Cook 1996, Verma 2001).

It is a perennial herb grows in seasonally flooded areas, margins of ponds, ditches, swamps, river banks, mostly on sandy soil and muddy places (Cook 1996, Verma 2001) and also in wet lands (Bhargavan 1989).

(From IUCN Red List (LC) )

Perennial, 30-60 cm. Rhizome short, ascending or horizontal, with tillers. Stem 2-3 mm diam., trigonous, smooth, lower edges obtuse. Leaves shorter than or equalling stem; sheaths to 20 cm, soft, brown or dark brown, often reddish, mouth margin slightly concave; blades to c. 40 cm long, to 5.5 mm wide, flat or folded, keeled, margins narrowly recurved, margins and keel towards apex scabrous, apex trigonous, acute, scabrous. Inflorescence 5-15 cm, a conical or rounded anthelodium; 4 or 5 lowermost bracts leaf-like, to more than 40 cm; primary branches commonly 5-8, to 80 mm, tubular prophyll c. 10 mm, bi-nerved; secondary anthelodia to c. 40 mm, of 5-8 spreading clusters of spikes; sometimes small tertiary anthelodia by 2-3 clusters of spikes, c. 7 mm; cluster of spikes 10-35 x 3-8 mm, with c. 20 to over 100 spikes closely imbricating, spirally, some at cluster base often digitately arranged; cluster rachis reddish brown, angular, narrowly winged; spikes not reflexed, 4-8 x c. 1.5 mm, glume-like bract, c. 0.8 mm, bi-nerved glume-like prophyll, c. 0.6 mm, rachis c. 0.3 mm wide, flat, quadrangular, internodes c. 0.25 mm; glumes c. 1.5 mm, cymbiform, slightly keeled, mucronate, sides obscurely nerved, reddish brown, margins widely scarious, slightly inrolled. Nut 0.6 x 0.3 mm, ellipsoid, obtusely trigonous, yellowish brown, very finely reticulate, almost smooth.

Flowering and fruiting: March-July

Wetlands

Pantropical
(From India Biodiversity Portal)
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