Cyperus marginatus
Thunb.
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(c) Jane Trembath, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jane Trembath
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Bart Wursten, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaCyperus marginatus is a species of sedge that is native to Angola, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini in southern Africa, and Kenya in eastern Africa.
Description
A sedge. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 60 cm tall. Usually it does not have leaves. It forms tufts. The spikes are brown with pale edges.
Edible Uses
We have no specific information for this species, but it is said that the inner base of the young stems of all species in this genus can be eaten raw, and make an excellent survival food in times of need.
Medicinal Uses
Warmed portions of the root are placed as a poultice around the throat of someone with a sore throat or mumps.
Distribution
It is a subtropical plant. It grows on the edges of watercourses in rocky crevices.
Where It Grows
Africa, Angola, Kenya, South Africa, Southern Africa,
Cultivation
Requires a sunny position.
Other Uses
The stems are used for thatching. The stems are used in weaving for making sleeping mats, grinding mats and various handicrafts. The stems have also been used for making baskets. When growing wild, the plant is considered an indicator of the presence of water close to the soil surface.
Synonyms
References (2)
- Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 51
- Welcome, A. K. & Van Wyk, B.-E., 2019, An inventory and analysis of the food plants of southern Africa. South African Journal of Botany 122 (2019) 136–179
