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Description: |
Robust tussock forming perennial 0.6-2.4 m tall, from a thick rhizome 4-6 mm wide, with very short internodes; stems glabrous but minutely to strongly scabrid on the angles. Leaves evenly spaced along culms, with margins smooth. Inflorescences of 1 terminal and 5-9 lateral often drooping lanceolate panicles 2-10 cm long., 1-3 cm wide, borne singly or 2-3 at the nodes on pendulous peduncles exerted up to 30 cm from the sheaths. Nutlets white and shiny, usually with a blue-black apex, ovoid 3.7-4(-5) mm long. |
Type location: |
South Africa |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | melanomphala: dark navel, presumable referring to the dark apex of the seed. |
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Worldwide distribution: | Zambia; tropical Africa to Angola and South Africa, Madagascar, South America |
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Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 303. Gordon-Gray, K.D. (1995). Cyperaceae in Natal Strelitzia 2 Page 184. Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H.J. (2010). Cyperaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 411 - 412. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 89. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 103. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 121. |