Volume 6 > Part 4 > Year 1998 > Page 266 > Cyperaceae > Lepironia

Lepironia articulata (Retz.) Dominwfo-0000459843

Bibl. Bot. Heft 85: 486. 1915; J.Kern, Reinwardtia 6: 29. 1961; in Fl. Males., Ser. 1, Spermat. 7: 462. f. 5–6. 1974; Raymond, Dansk Bot. Ark. 23: 31.5. 1966; Hô, Câyco Viêtnam III. 2: 705. 1993.— Restio articulatus Retz., Obs. Bot. 4: 14 1786. Fig. 5: A–K.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Perennial. Rhizome with greyish brown scales at least distally. Culms crowded in row along rhizome, stiff, 10–120 cm by 2–7 mm, terete, smooth. Leaf sheaths open, the uppermost 12–26 cm long, apex obliquely truncate. Involucral bract subulate, terete, 2.2–6 cm long. Inflorescence comprising 1 spike. Spike elliptic or oblong, terete, 10–35 by 3–7 mm, green to chestnut brown or purplish brown. Spicoid bracts oval, ovate-orbicular, 3.2–6.7 by 3–6.2 mm, apex rounded and often weakly recurved, easily detaching when mature. Spicoids ± equalling spicoid bracts. Floral bracts up to 15, lowest 2 linear-lanceolate, 4–6 mm long, keel ciliate. Nutlets ovate or obovate to broadly obovate, biconvex, 3–4 by 2–2.8 mm (excluding 0.5 mm long beak), hard, brown, ± smooth to indistinctly longitudinally nerved, often spinulose at apex.

Thailand : CENTRAL: Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok) (cultivated); PENINSULAR: Chumphon (Bang Son, Pakok), Phangnga (Takuapah), Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Songkhla (Chana, Hat Yai, Tip Khiri), Narathiwat (Paa Wai, Su-ngai Padi, Tak Bai).

Distribution : Madagascar, India (type), Sri Lanka, Indochina, SE China, Malesia, Micronesia, Australia, New Caledonia, Fiji.

Ecology : Coastal and inland swamp and swamp forests, 0–100 m alt.

Vernacular : Kra chuut (กระจูด)(Peninsular).

Uses: In Peninsular Thailand as well as other parts of the tropics the culms are used for mat and basket making. It is occasionally cultivated.

Notes: Easily recognised by its large size, absence of leaves and single cone like spike.