Cyperus brevifolius (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

1, plant habit; 2, inflorescence enclosed by involucral bracts; 3, spikelet; 4, nuts (Achmad Satiri Nurhaman)

Cyperus brevifolius (Rottb.) Hassk.

Protologue: Cat. Hort. Bog.: 24 (1844).

Synonyms

• Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb. (1773).

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: jukut pendul (Sundanese), rumput sadanan (Javanese), rumput kapas (Sumatra)
• Malaysia: kanching bayu jantan, rumput sekepet burit, rumput teki (Peninsular)
• Philippines: boto-botonisan (Tagalog), kadkadot (Igorot), pugo-pugo (Central Bisaya)
• Thailand: yaa kok dok khaao (Bangkok), yaa hua mong (Surat Thani)
• Vietnam: bạc dầu lá ngắn.

Distribution

Throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world; very common throughout Malesia.

Uses

The pounded rhizome is used as poultice for sores; it has anti-inflammatory properties. A decoction of the whole plant is used as diuretic and against malaria. Leaves are taken internally against diarrhoea. It is sometimes used as a fodder.

Observations

• A perennial herb with rhizome creeping horizontally under or close to the ground surface, stem 3-40(-50) cm long.
• Leaves 1-3 mm wide, canaliculate, scabrid on the margins in the upper part, grass-green.
• Inflorescence usually consisting of a single terminal head, involucral bracts (2-)3-4(-6), up to 6(-20) cm long.
• Spikelets closely packed, 1(-2)-flowered; stamens 1-2(-3), stigmas 2.
• Fruit biconvex, laterally compressed, obovoid or ellipsoid, yellowish-brown.

C. brevifolius is extremely variable. It occurs up to 1500(-1900) m altitude in grasslands, along roads, in forest clearings and on river banks.

Selected sources

• Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. Revised reprint. 2 volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol. 1 (A-H) pp. 1-1240. Vol. 2 (I- Z) pp. 1241-2444.
• de Padua, L.S., Lugod, G.C. & Pancho, J.V., 1977-1983. Handbook on Philippine medicinal plants. 4 volumes. Documentation and Information Section, Office of the Director of Research, University of the Philippines at Los Baños, the Philippines.
• Heyne, K., 1950. De nuttige planten van Indonesië [The useful plants of Indonesia]. 3rd Edition. 2 volumes. W. van Hoeve, 's Gravenhage, the Netherlands/Bandung, Indonesia. 1660 + CCXLI pp.
• Kern, J.H., 1974. Cyperaceae. In: van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (General editor): Flora Malesiana. Series 1, Vol. 7. Noordhoff, Leyden, the Netherlands. pp. 435-753.
• Komai, K. & Tang, C.S., 1989. Chemical constituents and inhibitory activities of essential oils from Cyperus brevifolius and Cyperus kyllingia. Journal of Chemical Ecology 15(8): 2171-2176.
• Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. 1262 pp.

Main genus page

• Cyperus (Medicinal plants)

Authors

• Nguyen Khac Khoi