Bulbostylis itremoensis (Abildgaardieae, Cyperaceae), a new sedge species from Madagascar

• Published in: Kew bulletin Vol. 77; no. 1; pp. 301 - 308
• Main Authors: Rasaminirina, Fitiavana, Rakotoarimanana, Vonjison, Ralimanana, Helene, Rabehevitra, David, Larridon, Isabel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Springer London 01-03-2022
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Life Sciences; Original Article; Plant Ecology; Plant Sciences; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; new species; Conservation status; taxonomy
• ISSN: 0075-5974; 1874-933X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12225-022-10014-7

Summary
An endemic species of
Bulbostylis
(Abildgaardieae, Cyperaceae) from Madagascar is described as new to science.
Bulbostylis itremoensis
is only known from two localities: the Itremo and Isalo massifs in the province of Fianarantsoa. The species can be recognised by its habit with numerous crowded culms, leaves and thick, soft roots with an outer mycorrhizal layer. Its culm is hairy, angular with about 10 rounded longitudinal ridges without conspicuous surface cells. The leaf sheaths are light brown to straw-coloured with numerous longitudinal nerves, densely short-hairy on the nerves but with numerous flexuose whitish hairs at their oblique orifices. Its inflorescence is a dense hemispherical head of c. 15 crowded spikelets with many erect or spreading involucral bracts. Its glumes are ovate, densely scabrid of which medium-reddish brown with a prominent 1 – 3-nerved green midrib ending below the obtuse apex or excurrent into a short mucro. This species is described, illustrated and compared to the other species of
Bulbostylis
that occur in the Itremo Massif Protected Area.