International Journal of Plant & Soil Science 26(4): 1-15, 2018; Article no.IJPSS.46099 ISSN: 2320-7035 Morphological Description and Culm Anatomy in the Identification of Kyllinga Rottb. (Cyperaceae) from Some Parts of Nigeria Ekeke, Chimezie1* and Ogazie, Chinedum Alozie1 1 University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/IJPSS/2018/v26i430049 Editor(s): (1) Dr. Alejandro Hurtado Salazar, Professor, Departamento de Produccion Agropecuaria, Universidad de Caldas, Colombia. Reviewers: (1) Martin María Silva Rossi, Argentina. (2) Jayath P. Kirthisinghe, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. (3) Santosh Kumari, IARI, India. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle3.com/review-history/46099 Original Research Article Received 22 October 2018 Accepted 05 January 2019 Published 18 February 2019 ABSTRACT Comparative culm anatomical and morphological descriptions of 12 taxa of Kyllinga collected from different parts of Nigeria were carried out to enhance the identification of the taxa. The number of flower-head vary from 1 – 6 while the sizes vary from the flower-head in K. erecta, K. erecta var. erecta, K. erecta var. polyphylla and K. peruviana is one, K. odorata, K. nemoralis, and K. pumila 14, K. erecta var. africana 4, K. tenuifolia 3-4 and K. brevifolia 1-3. K. erecta var. erecta has 2-3 bracts, K. erecta 3-4, K. erecta var. polyphylla 5-6, K. odorata 3-6, K. nemoralis 4-6, K. pumila 1-5, K. bulbosa 5 and K. peruviana 3. The leaf sheaths are partly wrapped to the culm in K. nemoralis, K. odorata, and K. pumila; completely wrapped with overlap in K. erecta var. erecta and K. peruviana and completely wrapped without overlap in other species. K. pumila, K. tenuifolia, and K. erecta var. africana rhizomes are partly erect. K. nemoralis trails on the soil surface while the remaining trail beneath the ground. The culm anatomy in transverse view is triangular (K. erecta, K. erecta var. erecta, K. erecta var. polyphylla and K. bulbosa), triangular-hexagonal (K. nemoralis, K. erecta var. africana, K. odorata and K. tenuifolia), triangular-polygonal (K. brevifolia) or oval-circular (K. pumila and K. peruviana) with aggregation of vascular bundles on the peripheral and inner portions of the culm. K. erecta has 2-layers of vascular bundles, K. peruviana 4-layers of vascular bundles while others have 3-layers of vascular bundles. The number of flower-head, sizes, bract number, and culm anatomy were observed to be diagnostic among these species. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: ekeke.uche@uniport.edu.ng; Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018; Article no.IJPSS.46099 Keywords: Cyperaceae; Kyllinga; Culm anatomy; flower-head; rhizome; leaf sheath. 1. INTRODUCTION anatomy of the Nigerian species of Kyllinga to enhance the identification of the species. Among the monocotyledonous families, Cyperaceae is one of the largest family and of cosmopolitan distribution comprising over 5000 species in 120 genera [1]. Majority of the species grow in the wetland. Cyperaceae family comprised 24 genera and 303 species in West Africa [2] with 23 genera and 230 species in Nigeria [3]. Kyllinga Rottb. belongs to this family and is made of 18 species in West Africa [2] and 16 species in Nigeria [3]. Among the Nigerian Kyllinga species, Akobundu and Agyakwa [4] and Akobundu et al. [5] have listed four of these species as weeds of cultivated farmlands. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Source of Plant Materials Twelve (12) species of Kyllinga species collected from different parts of Nigeria were properly identified in the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology Herbarium. Representatives of these specimens were cultivated in ridges in the Centre for Ecological Studies University of Port Harcourt for 12 months. Thereafter, these samples were harvested, washed and characterized morphologically. The voucher specimens of these Kyllinga species were processed and deposited in the Department of Plant Sciences and Biotechnology Herbarium, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria (Table 1). Also, the specimens were authenticated at Forest Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) Ibadan. In Cyperaceae, the use of macro-morphological characters in their identification has been problematic [6], because they may exhibit phenotypic plasticity related to the habitat where the plants grow [7,8]. Also, gross morphological features of most of the species in Nigeria and West Africa have been described [2,3] however the morphological features are not always sufficiently reliable to provide clear boundaries between taxa [9]. This necessitated the use of anatomical features which are less strongly environmentally modified, as reliable taxonomic information in taxa separation [9,10,11]. Despite the works on West Africa species of Kyllinga, there are no comprehensive morphological and culm anatomical descriptions of the species from Nigeria. Therefore, this research work is conducted to describe the morphology and stem 2.2 Morphological Description Morphological characters of the all the species including the nature of the inflorescence and rhizome were described. The leaf length, width, and diameter of culm; length of internode, nature, and diameter of rhizome; number, length, and breadth of bracts; number, length, and breadth of flower-head were measured and documented using meter rule and digital veinier caliper. Table 1. List of Kyllinga species studied S/N Species name Locality 1 2 3 4 5 Choba, Rivers State Choba, Rivers State Warri, Delta State Obiga, Abia State Choba, Rivers State Collector/date of collection Ekeke & Ogazie/14/3/16 Ekeke & Ogazie/04/8/16 Ekeke & Ogazie/19/4/16 Ekeke & Ogazie/26/8/16 Ekeke & Ogazie/26/8/16 Choba, Rivers State Warri, Delta State Ekeke & Ogazie/19/8/16 321 Ekeke & Ogazie/8/5/16 322 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Kyllinga tenuifolia Steudel. Kyllinga odorata Vahl. Kyllinga erecta var. erecta Schumacher Kyllinga nemoralis (Forst.) Dandy ex Hutch K. erecta var. africana (Kuek.) Hooper Kyllinga erecta Schumacher Kyllinga erecta var polyphylla (Kunth.) Hooper Kyllinga pumila Michx. Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb. Kyllinga bulbosa P. Beauv. Kyllinga peruviana Lam. K. squamulata Thonn. ex Vahl Choba, Rivers State Ekeke & Ogazie/18/4/16 Yenagoa, Bayelsa State Ekeke & Ogazie/04/8/16 Choba, Rivers State Ekeke & Ogazie/19/8/16 Lekki, Lagos State Ekeke /19/12/16 Gboko, Benue State Ekeke /17/7/16 2 Accession number 316 317 348 319 301 309 324 310 326 402 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018;; Article no.IJPSS.46099 no. 2.3 Anatomy (Culm) of the Flowering Stem 10 mm long and 8 unequal ovoid flower-heads, 9-10 mm wide each subtended by a culm 42 – 137 mm long, and 4 – 5 leafy bracts 1 – 12.5 cm long and 0.1 – 3.5 cm wide (Table 4). At harvest, the middle part of the flowering stems (about 2 cm) was cut, fixed in FAA for 2 hours, dehydrated in series of ethanol (30%, 50%, and 70%) for 2 hrs each [12]. After dehydration and clearing the specimens were wax-embedded embedded and sectioned at about 25-50 µm with a microtome. The sections were selected, de-waxed, waxed, stained with Alcian blue and safranin O [13], mounted on the glass slide, viewed, described, micromicro photographed with a digital camera (T340B-LED(T340B 5M) and the anatomy of culm described. 3.1.2 Kyllinga erecta A perennial sedge of about 5.6 – 19.5 cm tall, with thin rhizome, 1.31 – 2.21 mm thick, trailing underground and produces numerous intertwisted roots; internode 5 – 18 mm long; shoots not dense with light purple scales; leaves 25 – 52 mm long, 10 – 25 mm wide. The inflorescence consists of solitary, ovoid heads 4 4-8 mm long and 8-9 9 mm wide subtended by a culm 56 – 195 mm long with 3 – 4 unequal leafy bracts 15 – 45 mm long and 10 – 30 mm wide (Tables Tables 2, 4 and Fig. 1). 3. RESULTS 3.1 Morphological Characteristics The results of the morphological and anatomical descriptions of the Kyllinga species studied are presented in Figs. 1 – 11 and Tables 2 – 4. The rhizome and root of these species smell (Table (flower 3) while the inflorescences (flower-heads) are mainly greenish to white in colour (Table 4). 3.1.3 Kyllinga erecta var. africana Perennial sedge of 6.5 – 29.6 cm high, leaves 30.0 – 206.0 mm long, 2.0 – 4.0 mm wide, completely wrapped to the base of the culm and clustered at the base of the culm (Table 2). Rhizome thin, not profuse, or rarely seen, 2.74 – 3.74 mm thick, shoot heavilyy clustered together, partly erect with light purple scales and internode < 2.0 mm long (Table 3, Fig. 3). The inflorescence is subtended in in culms 65.0 – 29.6 mm long, with 4 – 5 leafy bracts, 15.0 – 122.0 mm long and 1.0 – 4.0 mm wide. Flower Flowerhead 4 (1-big and 3-small small ones), greenish greenish-white, 0.9 – 1.2 mm long and 10.0 – 13.0 mm wide (Table 4). 3.1.1 Kyllinga nemoralis Has thin rhizomes 1.65 – 2.09 mm thick, very profuse and trails on the soil surface (Table 2 and Fig. 1), shoots partly parked, bored in the internodes 9 – 12 mm long, with light purple scales; leaves 18 – 110 mm long, 10 – 35 mm wide, clustered at the base of the culm and leaf sheath partly wrapped to the culm (Tables 2 and 3, Fig. 1). The inflorescence consists of 1 – 4 Fig. 1. Morphological features of K. nemoralis (A) cluster of plants; (B and C) arrows show trailing rhizome and (D) arrow show inflorescence head 3 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018;; Article no.IJPSS.46099 no. Fig. 2. Morphological features of K. erecta (A) cluster of culms, (B) trailing rhizome and (C) inflorescence head Fig. 3. Morphological features of K. erecta var. africana (A) cluster of plants, (B) arrow show shows trailing rhizome and (C) inflorescence head 3.1.4 Kyllinga erecta var. erecta segmented rhizomes that produce thick roots, shoots densely packed and scales with a deep purple (Table 3, Fig. 4). Internode 3.0 – 5.0 mm long, leaves 14.0 – 110.0 mm long, 20.0 – 30.0 mm wide, not clustered at the base of the culm An erect, perennial glabrous sedge about 6.0 – 41.0 cm tall with thick, pigmented (purple), underground trailing, 4.12 – 4.50 mm, 4 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018;; Article no.IJPSS.46099 no. but leaf sheath completely wrapped to the base of the culm with overlap (Table 2). The inflorescence is supported in culm of about 60.0 – 410.0 mm tall, with solitary flower-head, flower greenish-white and 5.0 – 8.0 mm long and 5.0 – 6.0 mm wide with 2 – 3 leaf bracts 7.0 -79.0 mm long and 10.0 – 30.0 mm wide (Table 4). short and not profuse. Rhizomes partly erect shoots clustered together with purple scales, internode 8.0 – 17.0 mm long (Table 3, Fig. 5). Leaves 21.0 – 116.0 mm long, 20.0 mm wide, not clustered at the base of the culm, leaf sheath completely wrapped to the base of the culm without overlap (Table 2). The inflorescence is supported in culm of about 243.0 - 381.0 mm tall, with 1 - 3 flower-heads, greenish--white and 6.0 mm long and 6.0 mm wide with 3 – 4 leaf bracts 9.0 - 81.0 mm long and 0.5 – 2.0 mm wide (Table 4). 3.1.5 Kyllinga brevifolia An erect perennial sedge of about 24.3 – 38.1 cm tall, rhizome very thin (1.19 – 2.00 mm thick), Fig. 4. Morphological features of K. erecta var. erecta (A) cluster of culms, (B) trailing rhizome and (C) inflorescence head Table 2. Morphological description of leaf, leaf sheath and average culm diameter Species name Leaf sheath nature K. tenuifolia Completely wrapped K. odorata Partly wrapped K. erecta var. erecta Completely wrapped with an overlap K. nemoralis Partly wrapped K. erecta var. africana Completely wrapped K. erecta Completely wrapped K. erecta var polyphylla Completely wrapped K. pumila Completely wrapped K. brevifolia Completely wrapped K. bulbosa Partly wrapped K. peruviana Completely wrapped with an overlap K. squamulata Completely wrapped without overlap LL (cm) LB (mm) Nature of leaves 3.0– 11.5 11.9 – 14.2 1.4 – 11.0 1.8 – 11.0 3.0 - 20.6 2.5 – 5.2 2.4 – 11.6 6.7 – 23.7 2.1 – 11.6 16.1 – 19.1 3.8 – 18.4 8.2 – 13.3 2.0 – 3.5 3.0 – 4.0 2.0 – 3.0 2.0 – 3.5 2.0 – 4.0 1.0 – 2.5 4.0 – 4.5 2.0 – 3.0 2.0 3.0 – 4.0 4.0 – 5.0 3.0 – 5.0 Note: LL- Leaf length, LB - Leaf breadth; CD – culm diameter 5 Clustered at the base Clustered at the base Not clustered Clustered at the base Clustered at the base Not clustered Not clustered Not clustered Not clustered Clustered at the base Not clustered Clustered at the base CD (mm) 1.14 1.34 1.20 1.18 1.22 1.03 1.74 1.28 1.01 1.15 3.53 1.68 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018;; Article no.IJPSS.46099 no. Fig. 5. Morphological features of K. brevifolia (A) cluster of plants, (B) rhizome and (C) inflorescence head 3.1.6 Kyllinga pumila 3.1.7 Kyllinga odorata An erect, perennial glabrous sedge about 11.5 – 35.0 cm tall. Rhizomes are not profuse or rarely seen but partly erect, 1.80 – 2.35 mm thick, shoots clustered together with purple scales (Table 3, Fig. 7). The internode less than 2.0 mm long, leaves 67.0 – 237.0 mm long, 2.0 – 3.0 mm wide, not clustered at the base of the culm but leaf sheath completely wrapped to the base of the culm (Table 2). The inflorescence is supported in culm of about 11.5 – 35.0 cm long, with 1 – 4 flower-heads, greenish-white, white, 7.0 – 9.0 mm long and 7.0 – 9.0 mm wide having 1 – 5 leaf bracts 7.0 - 123.0 mm long and 0.5 – 3.0 mm wide (Table 4). An erect perennial sedge of 1.6 – 32.0 cm tall, underground rhizome rarely seen seen, 1.43 – 3.16 mm thick, shoots are clustered together and with purple scales (Fig. 6). Leaves 11.9 – 14.2 cm long, 3.0 – 4.0 mm wide, clustered at the base of the culm, leaf sheath completely wrapped at the base of the culm. The inflorescence is subtended in culms 16.0 – 320.0 mm long, with 3 – 6 leafy bracts, 20. 20.0 – 80.0 mm long and 1.5 – 4.0 mm wide. white or white, 11.0 Flower-head 1 - 4, greenish-white – 13.0 mm long and 8.0 – 10.0 mm wide (Table 4). Table 3. Morphological description of root and rhizome Species name Root K. tenuifolia K. odorata K. erecta var. erecta K. nemoralis K. erecta var. africana K. erecta Schumach K. erecta var polyphylla K. pumila K. brevifolia K. bulbosa Strong smell Strong smell/ thick/clustered Strong smells/thin Partly smell/thin Smell/thin Strong smell/thick Strong smell/thick Strong smell Strong smell/thin Strong smells/thin K. peruviana K. squamulata Smell/thick Smell Internode (mm) <2.0 7.0 – 10.0 Rhizome/stolon nature/diameter range (mean) (mm) Partly erect, 2.24 – 3.87 (3.04) Underground trailing, 1.43 – 3.16 (2.37) 3.0 – 5.0 9.0 – 12.0 <2.0 5.0 – 18.0 2.0 – 4.0 <2.0 8.0 – 17.0 5.0 – 7.0 Underground trailing, 4.12 – 4.50 (4.29) Surface trailing, 1.65 – 2.09 (1.85) Partly erect, 2.74 – 3.74 (3.28) Underground trailing, 1.31 – 2.21 (1.81) Underground trailing, 7.82-8.88 8.88 (8.45) Partly erect, 1.80 – 2.35 (2.16) Underground partly erect, 1.19 – 2.00 (1.42) Underground trailing/ trailing on soil surface, 0.48 – 1.32 (0.76) Underground trailing, 7.88 – 7.94 (7.93) Not trailing with underground bulbs 4.0 – 9.0 2.0 – 3.5 6 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018;; Article no.IJPSS.46099 no. Fig. 6. Morphological features of K. odorata (A) cluster of plants, (B) rhizome and (C) inflorescence head Fig. 7. Morphological features of K. pumila (A) cluster of plants, (B) rhizome and (C) inflorescence head 3.1.8 Kyllinga erecta var. polyphylla leaf sheath completely wrapped to the base of the culm without overlap (Table 2, Fig. Fig 8). Rhizome is thick (7.82 – 8.88 mm thick) with minimal underground trailing, shoots are densely packed with light purple scales, internode 2.0 – An erect perennial sedge of about 17.0 – 57.9 cm tall. Leaves 24.0 – 116.0 mm long, 4.0 – 4.5 mm wide, not clustered at the base of the culm, 7 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018;; Article no.IJPSS.46099 no. 4.0 mm long (Table 3). The inflorescence is supported in culm of about 17.0 – 57.9 cm long, with solitary flower-heads, heads, greenish-white greenish or yellow, 8.0 – 10.0 mm long, 6.0 – 10.0 mm wide with 5 – 6 leafy bracts 22.0 - 148.0 mm long and 1.0 – 4.0 mm wide (Table 4). wide, clustered at the base of the culm (Fig. 10), leaf sheath partly wrapped to the base of the 10 cm llong and culm (Table 2). Stolon about 6 -10 base of culm swollen (Fig. 10C). Underground trailing rhizome not pronounced, 0.48 – 1.32 mm thick, and internode 5.0 – 7.0 mm long (Table 3). The inflorescence is supported in culm of about 142.0 – 163.0 mm long, solitary flower flower-head but partly with small ones, greenish-white white or white (Fig. 10). Flower-head 9.0 – 11.0 mm long and 11.0 – 12.0 mm wide with 5 unequal leaf bracts 2.5 – 9.0 mm long and 2.0 – 4.0 mm wide (Table 4 and Fig. 10B). 3.1.9 Kyllinga tenuifolia Perennial sedge of about 27.2 – 38.2 cm tall. Leaves 30.0 – 350.0 mm long, 2.0 – 3.5 mm wide, clustered at the base of the culm, leaf sheath completely wrapped to the base of the culm (Table 2 and Fig. 9). Rhizome not profuse (2.14 – 3.87 mm thick), not trailing, partly erect, shoots very densely packed together at the base with deep purple scales and internode less than 2.0 mm long (Table 3 and Fig. 9). The inflorescence is subtended in culms 272.0 – 382.0 mm long, with 3 – 4 unequal leafy bracts, 17.0 – 99.0 mm long and 1.5 – 3.0 mm wide. Flower-head conical, 3 – 4 unequal flower-heads, flower conical in shape, greenish-white, white, 8.0 – 11.0 mm long and 9.0 – 12.0 mm wide (Table 4 and Fig. 9C). 3.1.11 Kyllinga peruvina An erect perennial sedge of about 28.6 – 117.2 cm tall and shoots not clustered. Leaves 3.8 – 18.4 cm long, 4.0 – 5.0 mm wide, leaf sheath completely wrapped with overlap (Table 2, Fig Fig. 11). Underground rhizome (7.88 – 9.94 mm with light thick), shoots not densely packed wit purple scales and internode 4.0 – 9.0 mm long (Table 3). The inflorescence is subtended in culm of about 28.6 – 98.2 cm long, with solitary flowerflower heads (Figure 11B), greenish-white, white, 8.4 – 10.8 mm long, 8.8 – 12.9 mm wide with 3-leafy 3 bracts 30.0 – 50.0 mm long and 5.0 – 26.0 mm wide (Table 4). 3.1.10 Kyllinga bulbosa An erect perennial sedge, about 14 2 -16.3 cm tall. Leaves 16.1 – 19.1 cm long, 2.0 – 4.1 mm Fig. 8. Morphological features of K. erecta var polyphylla (A) cluster of culms, (B) trailing rhizome and (C) inflorescence head 8 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018;; Article no.IJPSS.46099 no. 3.1.12 Kyllinga squamulata internode 2.0 – 3.5 mm long (Table 3). The inflorescence is subtended in culm of about 5 flower flower-heads 201.0 – 245.0 mm long, with 3-5 (Fig.s 12C and 12D), greenish-white, white, 10.0 – 15.0 mm long, 8.0 – 15.0 mm wide with 5-leafy 5 bracts 29.0 – 115.0 mm long and 2.0 – 4.5 mm wide (Table 4). An erect perennial sedge of about 201.0 – 245.0 mm tall, leaves 82.0 – 133.0 mm long, 3.0 – 5.0 mm wide, leaf sheath completely wrapped without overlap (Table 2, Fig. 11). Underground rhizome (3.4 – 5.0 mm thick) with, shoots not densely packed with light purple pur scales, Fig. 9. Morphological features of K. tenuifolia (A) cluster of plants, (B) rhizome and (C) inflorescence head Fig. 10. Morphological features of K. bulbosa (A) cluster of plants, (B) inflorescence head (C) underground bulbs and (D) arrow shows trailing rhizome 9 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018; Article no.IJPSS.46099 Table 4. Morphological description of the inflorescence Species name K. tenuifolia K. odorata K. erecta var. erecta K. nemoralis K. erecta var. africana K. erecta Schumach K. erecta var polyphylla K. pumila K. brevifolia K. bulbosa K. peruviana K. squamulata FHL (mm) 8 – 11 11 – 13 5-8 9 – 10 0.9 – 1.2 6–7 8 – 10 7–9 6 9 – 11 8.4 – 10.8 10.0 – 15.0 FHB (mm) 9 – 12 8 – 10 5–6 8 10 – 13 6–7 6 – 10 7–9 6 12 – 11 8.8 – 12.9 8.0 – 15.0 BL (cm) 1.7 – 9.9 2.0 – 8.0 0.7 – 7.9 1.0 – 12.5 1.5 – 12.2 1.5 – 4.5 2.2 – 14.8 0.7 – 12.3 0.9 – 8.1 2.5 – 9.0 0.5 – 2.6 2.9 – 10.0 BB (mm) 1.0 – 3.0 1.5 – 4.0 1.0 – 3.0 0.1 – 3.5 1.0 – 4.0 1.0 – 3.0 1.0 – 4.0 0.5 – 3.0 0.5 – 2.0 2.0 – 4.0 3.0 – 5.0 2.0 – 4.5 NHPI 3–4 1–4 1 1–4 4 1 1 1–4 1–3 Mainly one but partly with small ones 1 3–5 BN 3–4 3–6 2–3 4–5 4–5 3–4 5–6 1–5 3–4 5 3 5 CFH Greenish-white Greenish-white or white Greenish-white Greenish-white Greenish-white Greenish-white Greenish-white or yellow Greenish-white Greenish-white Greenish-white or white Greenish-white Greenish-white Note: FHL = Flower-head length, FHB = Flower-head breadth, BL = Bracts length, BB = Bract breadth, BN = Bract number, NHPI = No of head per inflorescence, CFH = Colour of flower-head 10 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018;; Article no.IJPSS.46099 no. Fig. 11. Morphological features of K. peruvina (A) cluster of culms, (B) inflorescence heads and (C) trailing rhizome Fig. 12. Morphological features of K. squamulata (A) clustered leaves (B) arrow shows bulb heads and (C and D) inflorescence 11 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018;; Article no.IJPSS.46099 no. 3.2 Culm Anatomy were observed. Some of which include the nature of the leaf sheath, rhizome, size and number of inflorescence head and the shape and number of the vascular bundle in the culm. The roots of all the taxa studied smell but vary in sizes. The culm of the Kyllinga species studied are mainly triangular (Figs. 14C, 14G, 14O and 14S), triangular-hexagonal (Figs. 14A, 14E, 14K, and 14Q), triangular-polygonal oval polygonal (14I) or oval-circular (Figs. 14M, 14U and 14W). They have patches of sclerenchymatous cells and aggregation of vascular bundles on the peripheral and inner portions of the culm. The outermost series of the bundles consist of small and medium vascular bundles with the small ones in contact with the layers of the cells lying just beneath the ar located epidermis while the larger ones are towards the pith in the ground tissues and vary in number from species to species. The larger vascular bundles have two small and one large cavity (Fig. 13). Most of the species have 2-4 2 layers of vascular bundles (Fig. 14). K. erecta has 2-layers of vascular bundles (Figs. (Figs 14C and 14D), K. peruviana 4-layers layers of vascular bundles (Figs. 14U and 14V) while others have 3-layers 3 of vascular bundles. Majority of the species studied have their leaves clustered at the base of the culm. The breadth of the leaves are less than or equal to 4.0 mm in most of the species but 4.0 – 5.0 mm in K. peruviana and K. erecta var. polyphylla polyphylla. This character can split the taxa into two groups and have been reported by Lowe and Stanfield [3] and Hutchinson and Dalziel [14]. Furthermore, the leaf sheaths are partly wrapped to the culm in K. nemoralis, K. odorata, K. squamulata, and K. pumila. In K. erecta var. erecta and K. peruviana it is completely wrapped to the base of the culm with overlap while in the other members of the species studied it is completely wrapped to the culm but not overlapping. Similar observations have been made by Lowe and Stanfield [3] and Hutchinson hinson and Dalziel [14] among the Nigerian and West African species Norris [15] in South African species and Getliffe-Norris of Kyllinga. 4. DISCUSSION Among the Kyllinga species studied some distinctive morphological and anatomical features (Ep epidermis; Sc- sclerenchyma; Cu Cu- cuticle; ChFig. 13. Anatomical description of the culm (Epchlorenchyma; CaCa lysigenous cavity) 12 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018; Article no.IJPSS.46099 Fig. 14. Transverse section of culms of Kyllinga species: (A-B) K. nemoralis; (C-D) K. erecta; (E-F) K. erecta var. africana; (G-H) K. erecta var. erecta; (I-J) K. brevifolia; (K-L) K. odorata; (MN) K. pumila; (O-P) K. erecta var polyphylla; (Q-R) K. tenuifolia; (S-T) K. bulbosa; (U-V) K. peruviana and (W-X) K. squamulata studies among other species of Kyllinga and Cyperaceae, the internodes are short in K. melanosperma or long in K. intricata Nees and K. colorata (L.) Druce [15], Carex [16], Cyperus [17] and other members of Cyperaceae [18,19]. This character confirms the placement of the taxa in Cyperaceae and could be used to distinguish the species. The thickness (diameter) of the rhizome varied from 0.763 – 8.543 mm. K. bulbosa and K. erecta var. polyphylla, had the minimum and maximum rhizome diameters respectively. The rhizome of K. pumila, K. tenuifolia, and K. erecta var. africana are partly erect, that of K. nemoralis trails on the soil surface while in the remaining species studied the rhizomes trail beneath the soil. K. peruviana had the maximum average stem diameter of 3.53 mm while the average stem diameters of all other Kyllinga species studies were less than 2.0 mm. The length of the internodes in the Kyllinga species varied relatively. In K. tenuifolia, K. pumila and K. erecta var. africana the length of the internodes were less than 2.0 mm, in K. erecta var. erecta and K. erecta var. polyphylla it is 2.0 – 5.0 mm and 5.0 – 10.0 mm in K. odorata K. bulbosa and K. peruviana and more than 10.0 mm in K. nemoralis, K. erecta and K. brevifolia. In similar The number of flower-head, sizes and bract number were observed to be diagnostic among the species. The flower-head in K. erecta, K. erecta var. erecta, K. erecta var. polyphylla and K. peruviana are one. In K. odorata, K. nemoralis and K. pumila, the flower-head 1-4, in K. erecta var. africana 4, K. tenuifolia 3-4 and K. brevifolia 1-3. Though some of these species have the same number of flower-head, the number of bracts varied among them. For instance, among the species with 1-flower-head, 13 Ekeke and Ogazie; IJPSS, 26(4): 1-15, 2018; Article no.IJPSS.46099 5. CONCLUSION K. erecta var. erecta has 2-3 bracts, K. erecta 34 bracts, K. erecta var. polyphylla 5-6 bracts and K. peruviana 3-bracts. Also, among the ones with 1-4 flower-head, K. odorata has 3-6 bracts, K. nemoralis 4-6 bracts, and K. pumila 1-5 bracts while K. bulbosa and K. peruviana have 5 and 3bracts respectively. There are also slight differences in the sizes of flower-head length and breadth, bract length and breadth and colour of the flower-heads. The genus showed considerable similarity in its morphological and anatomical features which confirm their placement in the genus, however, we did not look at the effect of environmental factors on the anatomical and morphological features of these species, the specimens collected from the different ecological zone of Nigeria did not show differences in the characters evaluated. But the number of flowerhead, size, and nature of rhizome, clustering of the leaves at the base of the culm, shape or outline of the culms, number, and arrangement of the vascular bundles in the culms were unique and diagnostic. These characters also show some level of intraspecific variation among the species studied. The shapes or outlines of the transverse sections of the culm of each species is constant but varied in the number of ridges and furrows from one species to another. The shapes are distinctive, diagnostic and could be used to group the species studied into groups namely; rounded, oval or circular culm, triangular culm with many ridges, furrows or edges (triangular, triangularhexagonal, triangular-polygonal). This feature has been considered as a significant distinctive diagnostic character in Kyllinga (Getliffe-Norris, 1983). For instance, the outlines of culms in K. nemoralis, K. erecta var. africana, K. odorata, and K. tenuifolia are relatively the same with six protruded ends (triangular-hexagonal) but the number of vascular bundles in the cortex slightly varied among species. K. nemoralis has 11vascular bundles; K. erecta var. africana and K. tenuifolia have 10 vascular bundles each while K. odorata has 9 vascular bundles. In K. erecta and K. brevifolia, the culm outlines are similar but the ridges in K. brevifolia are more pronounced than that of K. erecta. Also, the number of the vascular bundles in their ground tissues is 15 and 10 respectively. The culm outline of K. erecta var. erecta, K. erecta var. polyphylla and K. bulbosa are triangular but the edges in K. erecta var. erecta and K. erecta var. polyphylla are mainly acute while that of K. bulbosa is curved. The pith of K. erecta var. polyphylla is hollow compared to K. erecta var. erecta. Also, the number of vascular bundles in the ground tissue varied i.e. 13 and 11 in K. erecta var. erecta and K. erecta var. polyphylla respectively. In the way, culm outline in K. pumila and K. peruviana is rounded but the number of vascular bundles in the ground tissues is 13 and 20 respectively. A similar observation has been made by previous authors who worked on [15], Carex [16], Cyperus [17] and other members of Cyperaceae [18,19]. 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