Cyperus alternifolius

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Cyperus alternifolius
Cyperus alternifolius (Sedge Grass)

Cyperus alternifolius (Sedge Grass)

Systematics
Commelinids
Order : Sweet grass (Poales)
Family : Sourgrass family (Cyperaceae)
Subfamily : Cyperoideae
Genre : Sedge grass ( Cyperus )
Type : Cyperus alternifolius
Scientific name
Cyperus alternifolius
L.
Inflorescences

The Cyperus alternifolius is a type of plant from the genus of the sedge ( Cyperus ) within the family of the sour grass plants (Cyperaceae). It is used as a houseplant , which is usually called "cyprus grass" or - incorrectly - "cyprus grass" after its generic name .

description

Vegetative characteristics

Cyperus alternifolius is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches heights of about 50 to 150 centimeters. The rhizome is creeping, relatively short and reaches a diameter of 2 to 10 centimeters. New stalks are always sprouting from the new nodes at the young end of the rhizome, causing the plant to slowly "migrate". In older plants, the rhizome branches out, with new stalks sprouting at each rhizome tip. The stalks are obtuse triangular and smooth or slightly rough with a diameter of 1.5 to 7 millimeters. At the bottom they are surrounded by leathery leaf sheaths up to 30 centimeters long, which are reddish to blackish-brown in the lower area and turn yellowish to gray towards the top and end crookedly. The leaf blades are reduced.

Generative characteristics

The inflorescences are surrounded by 15 to 25 spirally arranged, green, foliage -like bracts . These are flat, pointed, with slightly bent back leaf edges and reach a length of 10 to 35 cm and a width of 3 to 20 millimeters. Their edges and veins are straight or slightly rough. Occasionally, new shoots form at the bract roots, which in turn have an inflorescence with bracts. These inflorescences are much smaller, the length of the stalk is usually 5 to 20 centimeters. The inflorescences are compound spirals 3 to 25 centimeters in diameter. Their main axes are up to 10 centimeters long, smooth or slightly rough and carry 10 to 30 millimeter long secondary spirals with about 5 millimeter long bracts and 15 to 30 spirally arranged brownish spikelets . The flowers are threefold. There are three stamens and three stigmas . The nuts are about 1 millimeter in size and brown in color.

Chromosome number

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 32.

Occurrence

Cyperus alternifolius subsp. alternifolius originally only occurs in Madagascar and the Mascarene Mountains . In some areas Cyperus alternifolius also occurs wild. Cyperus alternifolius grows in marshland and at the edges of water. Cyperus alternifolius is not frost-resistant .

Systematics

The first publication of Cyperus alternifolius was in 1767 by Carl von Linné in Mantissa Plantarum , 1, pp. 28-29. Homonyms are Cyperus alternifolius J.R. Forst. (published in Flora Americae Septentrionalis , 3, 1771), Cyperus alternifolius Steud. (published in Synopsis Plantarum Glumacearum , 2, 1854, p. 54), Cyperus alternifolius Baker (published in Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany , 21, 1885, p. 450), Cyperus alternifolius Poir. (published in Encyclopédie Méthodique, Botanique , 7, 1806, p. 273). Synonyms for Cyperus alternifolius L. are: Cyperus onustus Steud. , Cyperus frondosus Salisb. nom. superfl., Eucyperus alternifolius (L.) Rikli , Cyperus onustus Steud. , Cyperus alternifolius var. Gracilis Pynaert .

Some subtaxa have been described, all synonyms of this or other species; for example:

  • Cyperus alternifolius subsp. flabelliformis chick. → Cyperus involucratus Rottb. (Syn .: Cyperus alternifolius var. Flabelliformis (Rottb.) MRAlmeida , Cyperus flabelliformis Rottb. Nom. Superfl.)

swell

literature

  • Fritz Encke: Plants for rooms and balconies , Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 1964.

Web links

Commons : Cyperus alternifolius  - album with pictures, videos and audio files