Carpha Banks & Sol. ex R.Br. (Brown 1810: 230)

Rasaminirina, Fitiavana & Larridon, Isabel, 2023, The genera of Cyperaceae of Madagascar, Plant Ecology and Evolution 156 (3), pp. 276-310 : 276

Carpha Banks & Sol. ex R.Br. (Brown 1810: 230)

Type species.

Carpha alpina R.Br.

Description of the genus.

Perennials, small to medium-sized (rarely tall), tufted, mat-forming; rhizomatous or rarely stoloniferous. Culms erected, trigonous to more or less cylindrical, scapose or with a few nodes. Leaves basal and cauline, eligulate. Lower primary bracts more or less leaf-like, sheathing. Inflorescence open to condensed paniculate with (sub)capitate partial; inflorescences with few to many spikelets. Spikelets with 3-6 distichous, persistent glumes of increasing length. Lower glumes empty, larger 1-2(-3) glume(s) each subtending a floret, enclosed by the wings of the next glume. Floret bisexual, sometimes upper or lower floret male. Bristles 6, ciliate to partly fimbriate or plumose, shorter than to much longer than the fruit, deciduous with the fruit. Stamens 2-3, anthers conspicuously greenish yellow. Style 3-fid, base not distinct, slightly thickened, persistent, often scabrid. Nutlets narrowly (ob)ovoid to oblong, trigonous, often with a long beak, surface smooth or finely reticulate.

Distribution and ecology.

Carpha occurs from Uganda to South Africa, Western Indian Ocean, South Japan, New Guinea to New Zealand and South America. It grows along streams, on marshy ground, and on rocks, from 1800 to 2500 m in elevation. In Madagascar, a single species of Carpha , i.e. Carpha perrieri Cherm., is known from Fianarantsoa province Matsiatra Ambony region and Toliara provinces Anosy region.