''Cyperus maranguensis'' is a species of
sedge
The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' wit ...
that is native to parts of
eastern Africa.
This species was first identified by
K.Schum, the first scientific description dating to 1895. The plant is also a part of the
Cyperus genus.
[
]
Description
The plant grows to a height of up to and has slender, grass-like leaves. It produces small, greenish-brown flowers in clusters at the top of the stem. ''C. maranguensis'' is often found growing in damp or marshy areas, such as along streams and rivers, and is often used as an ornamental plant in gardens.[
]
Taxonomy
The species was first formally described by the botanist Karl Moritz Schumann
Karl Moritz Schumann (17 June 1851 – 22 March 1904) was a German botanist.
Schumann was born in Görlitz. He was curator of the Botanisches Museum in Berlin-Dahlem from 1880 until 1894. He also served as the first chairman of the ''Deutsc ...
in 1895 as a part of the work ''Die pflanzenwelt Ost-Afrikas und der nachbargebiete'' by Adilf Engler.[
]
Distribution
Overall, ''C. maranguensis'' is considered by many in Kenya
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, Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
, Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
, and Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
. to be valuable plant species with a range of uses and ecological benefits.
Uses
In traditional medicine, the leaves and roots of ''C. maranguensis'' are used to treat a variety of ailments, including fever, stomachache, and dysentery
Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications ...
. The plant is also used to make baskets and mats, and the leaves are sometimes used for thatching roofs.
''C. maranguensis'' is considered to be a useful plant for stabilizing soil and preventing erosion
Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...
, and it is sometimes planted for this purpose in areas prone to landslides. It is also an important food source for livestock and wild animals, including antelope
The term antelope is used to refer to many species of even-toed ruminant that are indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia.
Antelope comprise a wastebasket taxon defined as any of numerous Old World grazing and browsing hoofed mammals ...
s, elephant
Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae an ...
s, and hippopotamus
The hippopotamus ( ; : hippopotamuses or hippopotami; ''Hippopotamus amphibius''), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extan ...
es.["Cyperus maranguensis." World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Accessed December 24, 2022. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=2648319 .]
See also
* List of ''Cyperus'' species
References
maranguensis
Plants described in 1895
Flora of Kenya
Flora of Ethiopia
Flora of Tanzania
Flora of Uganda
Taxa named by Karl Moritz Schumann
{{Cyperus-stub