Four new species of Cyperus L. (Cyperaceae) 
from northern Queensland 
R.Booth, D.J.Moore & J.Hodgon 
Summary 
Booth, R., Moore, D.J. & Hodgon, J. (2009). Four new species of Cyperus L. (Cyperaceae) from 
northern Queensland. Austrobaileya 8(1): 35-46. Four new species allied to Cyperus pedunculosus 
F.Muell., viz. Cyperus alaticau]is R.Booth, D.J.Moore & Hodgon, C. eboracensis R.Booth, D.J.Moore 
& Hodgon, C. multispiceus R.Booth, D.J.Moore & Hodgon and C. sharpei R.Booth, D.J.Moore & 
Hodgon are described and notes provided on their distribution and habitat. Cyperus pedunculosus is 
circumscribed and described. A key to this group of species is provided. 
Key Words: Cyperaceae, Cyperus , Cyperus alaticaulis, Cyperus eboracensis , Cyperus multispiceus , 
Cyperus pedunculosus , Cyperus sharpei, Australian flora, Queensland flora, species limits, 
ordination, cluster analysis, identification key 
R.Booth, D.J.Moore & J.Hodgon, Queensland Herbarium, Department of Environment & Resource 
Management, Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha Road, Toowong, Queensland 4066, Australia. 
Email: ron.booth@derm.qld.gov.au 
Introduction 
in recent years, throughout Queensland and 
particularly in the monsoonal tropics of Cape 
York, has resulted in the accumulation of much 
more material of Cyperus that can be allocated 
to this taxonomic section. Past applications 
of the name Cyperus pedunculosus are now 
considered to apply to several taxa, some of 
which are unnamed. Critical examination of 
this material now enables four new species to 
be named. 
These new species show similarities 
in their glumes, nuts and overall spikelet 
characteristics to Cyperus pedunculosus , but 
differ notably in their preference for drier, fire 
prone habitats than those where that species 
occurs. Consequently their morphology may 
be a direct adaptation to these environmental 
conditions. They possess stout rhizomes or 
swollen, bulbous or fibrous bases. Cyperus 
pedunculosus occurs within closed forests 
that are not affected by fire and does not have 
any of these morphological features. 
Materials and methods 
The 33 specimens used in the phenetic 
analyses as Operational Taxonomic Units 
(OTUs) were drawn from field-collected 
specimens from northern Queensland and 
herbarium specimens at BRI. All taxa 
included were represented by between four to 
nine OTUs (data available from the authors). 
Cyperus L. sens. lat. includes about 700 
species, the vast majority of which occur in 
the tropics and subtropics. There is much 
variation within the genus and many attempts 
have been made to subdivide it. These include 
recognizing the subdivisions at subgeneric 
level, or as distinct genera (Raynal 1973). 
Recent treatments have also taken into account 
the presence of C 3 and C 4 photo synthetic 
pathways (Bruhl 1995). 
Correlating photosynthetic pathway 
with inflorescence structure has proven to 
be problematic in the delimitation of genera 
related to Cyperus and sections within 
Cyperus , at least in relation to the Australian 
taxa. A rigorous infrageneric classification 
for Cyperus can probably only be arrived at 
following extensive molecular investigation 
throughout the range of the genus. 
Despite these classification shortcomings, 
some obvious groupings of taxa can be arrived 
at based upon similarities in both vegetative 
and floral morphology. In Australia, one 
such grouping can be based around the 
taxon known as Cyperus pedunculosus 
F.Muell. which has been classified in Cyperus 
section Diffusae C.B.Clarke (Clarke 1884, as 
‘Diffusi’). Extensive field work undertaken 
Accepted for publication 1 September 2009 
