The genera of Cyperaceae of Madagascar

Abstract

Background and aims – The rise of DNA sequencing in systematics has brought more understanding of the Cyperaceae family worldwide. Through these studies, it has been possible to delineate major clades and classify its species into subfamilies, tribes, and genera. Today, we have a good understanding of the species diversity and geographic distribution of the genera. However, in the case of Madagascar, the only complete taxonomic treatment of Cyperaceae dates from 1937. Although recent monographs exist for some genera in Madagascar, the taxonomic treatment of the Cyperaceae of Madagascar has not been updated until now. Hence, the present work aims to produce an updated treatment at the generic level including descriptions and an identification key of all Cyperaceae genera in Madagascar. Material and methods – Books and scientific articles containing descriptions of the genera of Cyperaceae of Madagascar, and information on their ecology and distribution were consulted, as well as herbarium specimens, collections, and data available from online herbaria and aggregator portals. Key results – Madagascar is very rich in Cyperaceae. The species of the Cyperaceae family on the island are distributed in 24 genera, including one endemic genus, i.e. Trichoschoenus. Ten genera are monotypic on the island. Sixteen of the 29 genera described in the Flore de Madagascar remain accepted but the others are now either synonyms of Cyperus, or no longer apply because they are absent from Madagascar, such as Scirpus. Regarding their habitat and ecology, some genera are specific to a particular habitat, like Costularia, while others that are very broadly distributed, like Cyperus and Scleria. Conclusion – Our study provides an updated overview of the genera of Cyperaceae of Madagascar, including an identification key, descriptions, and illustrations.