Question 1

What is Pycreus pumilus?

Accepted Answer

Pycreus pumilus is a small tropical sedge in the family Cyperaceae. It grows in wet, open habitats such as paddy field margins and riverbanks across Sri Lanka and much of tropical Asia and Africa. It is catalogued as an ayurvedic medicinal plant in Sri Lanka.

Question 2

What are the medicinal uses of Pycreus pumilus?

Accepted Answer

In traditional ayurvedic practice, sedges of the Pycreus genus have been attributed diuretic, diaphoretic, and stomachic properties. Preparations typically involve the whole plant or rhizome in decoctions. These are ethnobotanical records from classical and folk traditions and should not be treated as modern medical advice.

Question 3

Is Pycreus pumilus the same as Cyperus pumilus?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the two names refer to the same plant. Older botanical literature often placed this species in the genus Cyperus as Cyperus pumilus L. It was later reclassified under Pycreus by Nees, though both names appear in herbarium records and regional floras.

Question 4

Where does Pycreus pumilus grow in Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

It is most common in the lowland wet and dry zones, particularly around paddy fields, canal margins, and seasonally flooded grasslands. It also colonises roadsides and other disturbed wet ground, making it a widespread and easily encountered species in agricultural areas.

Question 5

How many ayurvedic medicinal plants are catalogued in Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

Sri Lanka's Department of Ayurveda maintains an official catalogue that runs to several hundred plant species used in traditional medicine. The island's high biodiversity, spanning tropical rainforests, dry zone scrub, and montane habitats, supports this rich ethnobotanical heritage.

Question 6

What does Pycreus pumilus look like compared to common grass?

Accepted Answer

Although it resembles grass at first glance, Pycreus pumilus is a sedge with a distinctly triangular stem cross-section — a reliable way to distinguish sedges from true grasses. Its spikelets are yellowish-brown, small, and arranged in compact clusters at the stem tip rather than in elongated panicles as in many grasses.

Question 7

Is Pycreus pumilus endangered or protected in Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

Pycreus pumilus is not considered threatened. It is a widespread, adaptable species that thrives in disturbed agricultural environments and is under no significant conservation concern. Its listing in the ayurvedic plant catalogue relates to medicinal recognition rather than conservation status.