Cyperaceae
Abildgaardia

Abildgaardia ovata (Burm.f.) Kral

First published in Sida 4: 72 (1971)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropics & Subtropics. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome. It is used as animal food and a medicine.

Descriptions

J. Browning, K.D. Gordon-Gray†, M. Lock, H. Beentje, K. Vollesen, K. Bauters, C. Archer, I. Larridon, M. Xanthos, P. Vorster, J. Bruhl, K. Wilson and X. Zhang (2020). Flora Zambesiaca Volume: 14: Cyperaceae. M.Á. García, J.R. Timberlake (Eds). Kew Publish

Type
‘India Orientali’, König s.n. in Herb. Linn. (LINN), see note.
Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb up to 50 cm tall; rhizome woody, uniseriate or tufted
Morphology Leaves
Leaf bases forming persistent tunic to shoots; sheaths entire, mouth truncate; ligule 0; blade to 250 × 0.5–1.7 mm, linear to almost filiform, scabrid, apex acute to acuminate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a solitary terminal spikelet, occasionally twinned, or with one shortly pedicelled; bracts 2–3, to 13 mm long, glume- like
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets 7–19 × 3–6 mm, to 29 mm long with age, lower half compressed, upper cylidrical, green to yellowish
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes, basal 1–4 early deciduous, sterile, remainder fertile, 5–7.5 × 3–6 mm, midrib excurrent into a c. 1 mm mucro
Morphology Leaves Rachis
Rachilla spiralled, winged by persistent glume bases
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth 0
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 3–5 mm long, base pyramidal, shortly 3-winged, trifid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet 2–2.8 × 1.2–2 mm, obovoid to pyriform, white to pale fawn; surface faintly to prominently tuberculate, outermost cells subquadrate, ± isodiametric, eventually velate.
Distribution
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique. In Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Swaziland, Lesotho, South Africa (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West), Swaziland and Madagascar; also in Mauritius, India, Malaysia, S Asia, Australia, Polynesia, temperate and tropical America.
Ecology
A ubiquitous associate of grasses, flourishing particularly where grass cover is sparse; in sand, shale or clay, black dambo soils and in soil pockets among rocks; 10–1800 m.
Conservation
Widespread; not threatened.
[FZ]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 152 - 350 m.; Llanura del Caribe, Valle del Magdalena.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Cyperaceae, K Hoenselaar, B. Verdcourt & H. Beentje. Hypolytrum, D Simpson. Fuirena, M Muasya. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2010

Type
Type: Java, collector not stated (G, lecto.) (seen by Kern)( * Burman also cites Pluk. amalth: 113, t. 416, f.1 and Sloane, Hist. Jam.: 120, t. 79, f.2)
Morphology General Habit
Densely tufted perennial 5–40 cm tall with small root system but hardened at base and covered with persistent leaf-bases and old stiff prophylls.
Morphology Stem
Stems 0.5–1 mm wide, deeply ridged, compressed above, glabrous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves flat or convolute, up to 25 cm long, 0.8 mm wide, upper surface with large rectangular cells, margin with many spine-like teeth.
Morphology Leaves Leaf sheaths
Sheaths pale to dark brown, often with two very conspicuous spinous keels
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence of a solitary (or less often 2) ± shiny spikelet 5–10 mm long enlarging to 15–23 mm in fruit.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes greyish to greenish, sometimes brownish near the midrib and at apex, lower glumes distichous, 2–3 mm long with an additional 3–6 mm long scabrid long narrow apex. Upper larger but with shorter narrow apex. Glumes breaking off and leaving persistent bases
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 3
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style flattened with ciliate margins and 3 branches
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlet brownish with a silvery sheen, obovoid with cuneate base and short obtuse apex, tuberculate
Ecology
Hilltop and plains grassland, seasonally swampy vlei grassland, wooded grassland, grazed fallow areas; sea level–2150 m
Distribution
Range: Widespread throughout tropics and warm temperate areas. Flora districts: U1 U2 U3 U4 K3 K4 K6 K7 T1 T3 T6 T7 T8 ZP
[FTEA]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
A low, tufted plant with a hard, knotted base
Morphology Leaves
Leaves up to 20 cm long (usually less), 0.5–1.5 mm wide, with roughened, minutely bristly margins
Morphology Culms
Culms wiry, about twice as long as the leaves
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts much shorter than the pale, solitary spikelets
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 5–15 mm long, up to 5 cm broad, flattened; glumes ovate, keeled, mucronate, pale greenish-brown with whitish margins
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes 2–2.5 mm long, constricted near the base, yellowish, tuberculate.
Distribution
Little Cayman, Cayman Brac.  Pantropical, chiefly at low to medium elevations.
Ecology
The Cayman specimens were collected in pockets of soil on flat, shaded limestone pavements.
[Cayman]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/176923/7331625

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Cyperaceae, Miss S. S. Hooper. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Habit
Slender tufted rhizomatous perennial with crowded culms swollen at the base
Morphology Leaves
Filiform or narrowly linear leaves
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Solitary pale green or yellowish-buff spikelets 1 cm. long
Ecology
In grassland and savanna.
[FWTA]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Caribbean. Elevation range: 152–350 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Magdalena, Tolima.
Habit
Herb.
Conservation
IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: shrubland.
[UPFC]

Uses

Use Animal Food
Used as animal food.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0