Tekijem (Cyperus cyperoides)

Tekijem (Cyperus cyperoides) is a plant species in Cyperaceae, annual grasses that grow in seasonal wetlands, open or shaded fields, swamps, ponds, rice fields, roadsides, open forests, secondary forests and shrubs at altitudes up to 1,800 m in the tropics.

C. cyperoides has an upright, triangular shape, 20-75 cm tall from a very short rhizome and has no stolon. The lanceolate-shaped leaves are narrow and long, the tips are pointed, slippery, shiny, green and grow at the bottom and at the top of the stem.



The terminal flower appears on the tip of the stem, cylindrical spiklet shaped and green. Each stem has two to seven flowers, each of which has a short or long stem that grows at the end of the stem together with the leaves.

This plant grows solitary or in small groups at a distance. Propagating using vegetative and generative methods using seeds. At least three sub-species are Cyperus cyperoides cyperoides, Cyperus cyperoides flavus and Cyperus cyperoides pseudoflavus.

This grass is often classified as ordinary weeds in the garden but some are invasive. This plant is sometimes cultivated for edible roots in parts of Africa where the rhizomes are roasted, the roots are used for brushes and as a treatment for vermifuge.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Poales
Family: Cyperaceae
Subfamily: Cyperoideae
Tribe: Cypereae
Genus: Cyperus L. in Sp. Pl.: 44 (1753)
Species: Cyperus cyperoides (L.) Kuntze in Revis. Gen. Pl. 3(3): 333 (1898)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Cyperus umbellatus Roxb. in Fl. Ind., ed. 1832. 1: 205 (1832)
Cyperus umbellatus (Rottb.) Benth. in Fl. Hongk.: 386 (1861)
Kyllinga umbellata Rottb. in Descr. Icon. Rar. Pl.: 15 (1773)
Mariscus cyperoides (L.) Urb. in Symb. Antill. 2: 164 (1900)
Mariscus umbellatus Vahl in Enum. Pl. Obs. 2: 376 (1805)
Scirpus cyperoides L. in Mant. Pl. 2: 181 (1771)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Cyperus biglumis C.B.Clarke in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 21: 199 (1884)
Cyperus corynephorus Lock in Fl. Zambes. 14: 237 (2020)
Cyperus cylindrostachys var. subcompositus (C.B.Clarke) Skottsb. in Acta Horti Gothob. 15: 300 (1944)
Cyperus cyperoides var. aureus Peter ex Kük. in H.G.A.Engler (ed.), Pflanzenr., IV, 20(Heft 101): 517 (1936)
Cyperus cyperoides var. brevispicatus Kük. (1936)
Cyperus cyperoides var. clarkei (Turrill ex Craib) Kük. (1936)
Cyperus cyperoides var. evolutior (C.B.Clarke) Kük. in Sinensia 3: 80 (1932)
Cyperus cyperoides subsp. flavus Lye in Nordic J. Bot. 3: 231 (1983)
Cyperus cyperoides var. khasianus (C.B.Clarke) Kük. (1936)
Cyperus cyperoides var. microstachys Kük. (1936)
Cyperus cyperoides var. nossibeensis (Steud.) Kük. (1936)
Cyperus cyperoides var. ovalis Kük. (1936)
Cyperus cyperoides var. polyphyllus Kük. (1936)
Cyperus cyperoides var. repens Kük. (1936)
Cyperus cyperoides var. subcompositus (C.B.Clarke) Kük. (1936)
Cyperus flexifolius Boeckeler ex Reinecke in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 25: 586 (1898)
Cyperus konkanensis T.Cooke in Fl. Bombay 2: 874 (1908)
Cyperus linctus G.Forst. in Fl. Ins. Austr.: 89 (1786)
Cyperus macrocarpus var. humbertii (Cherm.) Kük. (1936)
Cyperus macrocarpus var. submacrocarpus Kük. (1936)
Cyperus manilensis Boeckeler ex Warb. in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 13: 264 (1890)
Cyperus sieberianus (Nees ex Steud.) K.Schum. in Notizbl. Königl. Bot. Gart. Berlin 2: 96 (1898)
Cyperus steudelianus Boeckeler in Linnaea 36: 382 (1870)
Cyperus subumbellatus Kük. (1936)
Cyperus subumbellatus var. sessilispicatus Kük. (1936)
Cyperus subumbellatus var. subglobosus Kük. (1936)
Cyperus subumbellatus var. thomensis (C.B.Clarke) Kük. (1936)
Cyperus thomensis (C.B.Clarke) Marais in Fl. Mascar. 202: 54 (2018)
Cyperus umbellatus var. laxiflorus Benth. in Fl. Austral. 7: 289 (1878)
Kyllinga biglumis (Gaertn.) Steud. in Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2. 1: 851 (1840)
Kyllinga sumatrensis Retz. in Observ. Bot. 4: 13 (1786)
Kyllinga umbellata var. sumatrensis (Retz.) Willd. in Sp. Pl., ed. 4. 1: 258 (1797)
Lipocarpha mangarevica H.St.John in Pacific Pl. Stud. 43: 9 (1988)
Mariscus alternifolius Vahl (1805)
Mariscus biglumis Gaertn. in Fruct. Sem. Pl. 1: 12 (1788)
Mariscus clarkei Turrill ex Craib in Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1912: 422 (1912)
Mariscus concinnus Schrad. ex Nees in C.F.P.von Martius & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Bras. 2(1): 47 (1842)
Mariscus concinnus var. evolutior (C.B.Clarke) Panigrahi in S.K.Murti & G.Panigrahi, Fl. Bilaspur Distr. 2: 699 (1999)
Mariscus concinnus var. khasianus (C.B.Clarke) Panigrahi (1999)
Mariscus concinnus var. subcompositus (C.B.Clarke) Panigrahi (1999)
Mariscus corymbosus Boeckeler in Flora 41: 409 (1858)
Mariscus cylindristachyus Steud. in Syn. Pl. Glumac. 2: 65 (1854)
Mariscus cyperoides var. capitatus Domin in Biblioth. Bot. 20(85): 438 (1915)
Mariscus humbertii Cherm. in Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. 25: 303 (1919)
Mariscus linctus M.R.Almeida in Fl. Maharashtra 5B: 364 (2009)
Mariscus linctus var. subcompositus (C.B.Clarke) M.R.Almeida (2009)
Mariscus nossibeensis Steud. (1854)
Mariscus pachystachyus Steud. (1854)
Mariscus philippensis Steud. (1854)
Mariscus polyphyllus Steud. in Flora 25: 596 (1842)
Mariscus quarrei Cherm. in Rev. Zool. Bot. Africaines 24: 294 (1934)
Mariscus sieberianus Nees ex Steud. (1854)
Mariscus sieberianus var. evolutior C.B.Clarke in J.D.Hooker, Fl. Brit. India 6: 622 (1893)
Mariscus sieberianus var. khasianus C.B.Clarke (1893)
Mariscus sieberianus var. nossibeensis (Steud.) Cherm. in Ann. Mus. Colon. Marseille, sér. 3, 7: 55 (1919)
Mariscus sieberianus var. subcompositus C.B.Clarke (1893)
Mariscus steudelianus (Boeckeler) Cufod. in Bull. Jard. Bot. Natl. Belg. 40(Suppl.): 1457 (1970)
Mariscus sumatrensis (Retz.) J.Raynal in Adansonia, n.s., 15: 110 (1975)
Mariscus sumatrensis var. evolutior (C.B.Clarke) Karthik. in S.Karthikeyan & al., Fl. Ind. Enum. - Monocot.: 64 (1989)
Mariscus sumatrensis var. khasianus (C.B.Clarke) Karthik. (1989)
Mariscus sumatrensis var. microstachys (Kük.) L.K.Dai in Higher Pl. China 12: 344 (2009)
Mariscus sumatrensis var. subcompositus (C.B.Clarke) Karthik. (1989)
Mariscus thomensis C.B.Clarke in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 8: 395 (1902)
Mariscus umbellatus J.Presl & C.Presl in Reliq. Haenk. 1: 181 (1828)
Mariscus umbellatus var. evolutior (C.B.Clarke) E.G.Camus in H.Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 7: 78 (1912)
Mariscus umbellatus var. microstachys (Kük.) Tang & F.T.Wang in Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 11: 181 (1961)
Mariscus umbellatus var. sieberianus E.G.Camus (1912)
Mariscus umbellatus var. subcompositus (C.B.Clarke) Tang & F.T.Wang (1961)

PUBLICATIONS

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.

Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.

Balkrishna, A. (2018). Flora of Morni Hills (Research & Possibilities): 1-581. Divya Yoga Mandir Trust.

Barthelat, F. (2019). La flore illustrée de Mayotte: 1-687. Biotope éditions.

Browning, J. & al. (2020). Flora Zambesiaca 14: 1-455. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Cabezas, F., Aedo, C. & Velayos, M. (2004). Checklist of the Cyperaceae of Equatorial Guinea (Annobón, Bioko, Río Muni). Belgian Journal of Botany 137: 3-26.

Caminho, J., Mutemba, L., Matusse, E., Osborne, J., Wursten, B., Burrows, J., Cianciullo, S., Malatesta, L. & Attorre, F. (2022). An updated checklist of Mozambique’s vascular plants. PhytoKeys 189: 61-80.

Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.

Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Edwards, S., Demissew, S., & Hedberg, I. (eds.) (1997). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 6: i-xxviii, 1-586. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.

Gosline, G., Bidault, E., van der Burgt, X., Cahen, D., Challen, G., Condé, N., Couch, C., Couvreur, T.L.P., Dagallier, L.M.J., Darbyshire, I., Dawson, S., Doré, T.S., Goyder, D., Grall, A., Haba, P., Haba, P., Harris, D., Hind, D.J.N., Jongkind, & al. (2023). A Taxonomically-verified and Vouchered Checklist of the Vascular Plants of the Republic of Guinea. Nature, scientific data 10, Article number: 327: [1]-[12].

Govaerts, R. & Simpson, D.A. (2007). World Checklist of Cyperaceae. Sedges: 1-765. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.

Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H. (2010). Cyperaceae. Flora of Tropical East Africa: 1-466.

Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.

Iwatsuki, K., Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (eds.) (2020). Flora of Japan IVa: 1-430. Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.

Lye, K.A. & Thery, P. (2012). Flore du Gabon 44: 1-230. Muséum National D'Histoire Naturelle, Paris; Margraf Publishers, Weikersheim; Meise Botanic Garden.

Marais, W. & Araujo, A.C. (2018). Flore des Mascareignes 202: 1-99. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.

Mesterházy, A., Browning, J. & Verloove, F. (2022). Cyperaceae of tropical West Africa: 1-532. Meise Botanic Garden.

Middleton, D.J. & al. (eds.) (2019). Flora of Singapore 7: 1-525. Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Miller, A.G. & Morris, M. (2004). Ethnoflora of Soqotra Archipelago: 1-759. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.

Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Pandey, R.P. & Dilwakar, P.G. (2008). An integrated check-list flora of Andaman and Nicobar islands, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 32: 403-500.

Pasha, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Plunkett, G.M., Ranker, T.A., Sam, C. & Balick, M.J. (2022). Towards a checklist of the vascular flora of Vanuatu. Candollea 77: 105-118.

Velayos, M., Aedo, C., Cabezas, F., de la Estrella, M., Barberá, P. & Fero, M. (eds.) (2014). Flora de Guinea Ecuatorial 11: 1-416. Consejo superior de investigaciones científicas, Real jardín botánico, Madrid.

Walker, E.H. (1976). Flora of Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu islands: 1-1159. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C., U.S.A.

Whistler, W.A. (2022). Flora of Samoa Flowering Plants: 1-930. National Tropical Botanicl Garden. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2010). Flora of China 23: 1-515. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

VERNACULAR NAME

Bengali: বারা গুথুবি Bara guthubi
Chinese (simplified): 砖子苗
Chinese (traditional): 磚子苗
English: Tekijem, Pacific island flatsedge, Common flat sedge
Filipino: Mangilang, Kupiupi, Okokiang
Finnish: Pallerosädekaisla
French: Souchet faux-souchet
Hong Kong: 磚子苗
Japanese: イヌクグ
Java: Tekijem, Suket lumbungan
Korean: 방동사니아재비
Macao: 磚子苗
Malaysia: Menderong ekur tupai, Rumput janggut baung, Rumput mesiyang
Manipuri: Shembang Kouthum
Marathi: Dokri
Nepali: कोडे झार - फिरफिरे घाँस - कराउन्टे Kode jhar, Firafire Ghaans, Karaunte
PNG: Kaiga
Sumatera: Tetemung
Sunda: Jukut bebalean
Taiwan: 磚子苗
Thai: กกหางกระรอก

Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
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