Isolepis prolifera

Isolepis prolifera
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Cyperaceae
Genus: Isolepis
Species: I. prolifera
Binomial name
Isolepis prolifera
(Rottb.) R.Br. [1]
Synonyms [2]
  • Cyperus aitonii Spreng.
  • Cyperus punctatus Lam.
  • Isolepis erythronegma Steud.
  • Isolepis globosa Buchanan
  • Isolepis prolifer (Rottb.) R.Br. (orth. var.)
  • Scirpus prolifer Rottb.

Isolepis prolifera is a species of flowering plant in the family Cyperaceae that grows in temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere. It has leafless stems up to 90 cm (35 in) tall, and clusters of flowers that often proliferate into branches.

Description

Isolepis prolifera has a caespitose (tufted) growth form, with round stems up to 90 centimetres (35 in) tall and 4 millimetres (0.16 in) wide.[3] Its leaves are reduced to red or brown sheaths around the stem, sometimes with a small free lobe up to 3 mm (0.12 in) long.[4]

Its flowers are arranged in a cluster of spikelets, 2–10 mm (0.08–0.39 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) wide. Many of the spikelets are, however, replaced by branchlets, each 2–7 cm (0.8–2.8 in) long, and terminating in a further head of spikelets.[3] This proliferation into branches gives the species its scientific name prolifera. Each spikelet consists of up to 30 flowers, and the fruit is a nutlet with fine reticulations on its surface.[4]

Isolepis prolifera varies considerably in size, and smaller specimens may resemble the Australasian species Isolepis inundata, although I. inundata normally has some true leaves, and is not always proliferating.[5][6]

Distribution

Isolepis prolifera is found in a number of countries around the world, although it is not clear where it is native, and where it is an introduced species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers it to be native only to South Africa,[1] where it grows in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape provinces.[7] It is also widespread in New Zealand, occurring on the South Island, North Island, and on the Chatham Islands, and may be native there.[5] In Australia, I. prolifera occurs in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, as well as in the Mediterranean-climate region of Western Australia.[8] It is also potentially native to Tristan da Cunha and Saint Helena,[2] and has been introduced to France[2] and California.[9]

Ecology

Isolepis prolifera is a perennial plant that grows as a helophyte (marsh plant).[1] It thrives in both eutrophic and oligotrophic wetlands, and can be a weed of drainages on farmland.[5]

Naming

Isolepis prolifera was first described by Christen Friis Rottbøll, a pupil of Carl Linnaeus, in his 1772 work Descriptiones plantarum rariorum, as "Scirpus prolifer". It was transferred to the genus Isolepis in 1810 by Robert Brown, although it is different from other Isolepis species, and may be better placed in a different genus, such as Scirpoides.[6]

Isolepis prolifera has different common names in different parts of its range. In South Africa, it is known as vleigras in Afrikaans or incapha in Zulu, in Australia as "budding club-rush",[8] and in the United States as "proliferating bulrush".[9] In New Zealand, it either has no common name[5] or is known as "three-square".[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 W. Foden & L. Potter (2005). "Isolepis prolifera". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010. e.T185403A8404497. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T185403A8404497.en. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "Isolepis prolifera (Rottb.) R.Br.". eMonocot. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  3. 1 2 L. B. Moore & E. Edgar (1970). "Scirpus prolifer Rottb.". Indigenous Tracheophyta: Monocotyledones except Gramineae. Flora of New Zealand. II. Wellington, New Zealand. Cited in Flora of New Zealand.
  4. 1 2 A. Muthama Muasya & David A. Simpson (2002). "A monograph of the genus Isolepis R. Br. (Cyperaceae)". Kew Bulletin. 57 (2): 257–362. JSTOR 4111111.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Isolepis prolifera". New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Isolepis prolifera (Rottb.) R.Br.". New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  7. ↑ W. Foden & L. Potter (2005). "Isolepis prolifera (Rottb.) R.Br.". Red List of South African Plants. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Isolepis prolifera (Rottb.) R.Br., Budding Club-rush". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Isolepis prolifera (Rottb.) R.Br., proliferating bulrush". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  10. ↑ "Isolepis prolifera (Rottb.) R.Br.". Flora of New Zealand. Landcare Research. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
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