Bulbostylis puberula
Content
Description
Leaves much shorter than the stems, capillary, short-pubescent, ⅓-½ mm wide;
Inflorescence simple or subcompound, anthelate with up to 5 short rays c. ½ cm long, often congested to almost capitate, sometimes reduced to a single spikelet, up to 1½ cm long and wide.
Stamen 1;
Distribution
Anambas present, Asia present, Asia-Tropical: Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Madura present, Natuna Is present, Riouw Arch present, Tropical Africa present, W. & N. Borneo present, W.-E. Java present
Tropical Africa and Asia, in Malesia: Sumatra, Riouw Arch., Malay Peninsula, W.-E. Java, Madura, W. & N. Borneo, Anambas&Natuna Is.; everywhere rare.
Uses
According to a label in SING the plant is (was?) cultivated by the Chinese in Singapore and exported to China, where it is used as a diuretic.
Notes
The habit is much like that of B. barbata, but the texture of the pericarp is quite different. The nut character is the most distinctive; sessile or stalked spikelets is also a good distinction, except in very small plants. The hairiness of the stem is variable.
Citation
CAMUS 1912: p. 128. – In: Fl. Gén. I.-C.: f. 17, 1-2'
KERN 1968 – In: Back. & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 3: 468
STEUD. 1855 – In: Syn.: 103
BACK. 1949 – In: Bekn. Fl. Java, (em. ed.): fam. 246, p. 27
Ridl. 1907 – In: Mat. Fl. Mal. Pen.: 78
BOECK. 1870 – In: Linnaea: 767
Ridl. 1925 – In: Fl. Mal. Pen.: 160