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14-545: The project started with the appointment of two project officers, Andrew Darlow, for Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, and Brian Summers for the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. The focus of the project varied across the territories, depending on their needs. During the course of the project, Dr Phil Lambdon discovered a living example of a type of sedge on Saint Helena, Bulbostylis neglecta , that had not been seen for over 200 years and

28-453: A South Atlantic Invasive Species Strategy and Action Plan was developed from the project findings. The aim of this was to encourage continuation of work after the project was completed and to act as the basis of a regional approach to invasive alien species. To implement the key actions of this plan, a workshop was held on Ascension Island . The project also resulted in reviews of legislation related to invasive species for each Territory. Since

42-505: A cultivated crop and common weed), white star sedge ( Rhynchospora colorata ), and umbrella sedge ( Cyperus alternifolius ), also known as umbrella papyrus Members of this family are characterised by the formation of dauciform (carrot-like) roots; an alteration in root morphology that researchers regard as analogous to cluster roots in Proteaceae , which help uptake of nutrients such as phosphorus from poor soil. Like other members of

56-403: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Cyperaceae 94, see text The Cyperaceae ( / ˌ s aɪ p ə ˈ r eɪ s i . iː , - ˌ aɪ / ) are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges . The family is large; botanists have described some 5,500 known species in about 90 genera  – the largest being

70-554: Is an endemic member of the Cyperaceae of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic . Bulbostylis neglecta was first collected by William John Burchell in 1806, although the specimen was not described as a new species until 1884. Since then, it had not been recorded again and was presumed extinct until, in May, 2008, during a botanical survey of St Helena, a small population of the sedge

84-439: The "true sedges " (genus Carex ), with over 2,000 species. Cyperaceae species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group occurring in tropical Asia and tropical South America . While sedges grow in almost all environments, many thrive in wetlands , or in poor soils. Ecological communities dominated by sedges are known as sedgelands or as sedge meadows . Some species superficially resemble

98-420: The closely related rushes and the more distantly related grasses . Features distinguishing members of the sedge family from grasses or rushes are stems with triangular cross-sections (with occasional exceptions, a notable example being the tule which has a round cross-section) and leaves that are spirally arranged in three ranks . In comparison, grasses have alternate leaves, forming two ranks. This leads to

112-635: The completion of the South Atlantic Invasive Species Project in 2009, multiple projects have been carried out with similar aims to address invasive species in the region. For example, in 2011, the Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs initiated a series of projects to address invasive species. Bulbostylis neglecta Fimbristylis neglecta Hemsl. Bulbostylis neglecta , neglected tuft sedge locally,

126-491: The mnemonic "sedges have edges," in order to tell them apart from generally round rushes or hollow, nodded grasses . Some well-known sedges include the water chestnut ( Eleocharis dulcis ) and the papyrus sedge ( Cyperus papyrus ), from which the writing material papyrus was made. This family also includes cotton-grass ( Eriophorum ), spike-rush ( Eleocharis ), sawgrass ( Cladium ), nutsedge or nutgrass (also called chufa, Cyperus esculentus / Cyperus rotundus ,

140-516: The native birds have suffered more here than many other islands. Of eight species of bird confined to the island, seven have become extinct since the island’s discovery in 1502. The project involved surveys to identify and map naturalised and cultivated taxa, as well as risk assessment of introduced species and targeted control of some species. A survey conducted in 2009 by Jo Osborne, Renata Borosova, Marie Briggs and Stuart Cable recorded 24 introduced vascular plant species on South Georgia. A report on

154-519: The project summarised the state of plant invasions on Saint Helena and highlighted management issues, with suggestions for future actions. On the Falkland Islands , island surveys, fox surveys, and garden plant surveys were conducted. Following the findings of these surveys, support for working towards rat and fox eradication on islands was provided. The island surveys discovered new populations of Cobb's wren , an endemic species of bird. In 2010,

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168-538: The survey recommended the eradication of 20 out of 24 of these species. The report also recommended further survey to map the extent of the populations of these invasive species to determine the possibility of eradicating them, as well as regular monitoring of vegetation. As a result, a programme was conducted to eradicate wavy bittercress . In addition to the survey conducted on South Georgia, botanical surveys were completed on Ascension Island, Tristan da Cunha, and Saint Helena. The SAIS Botanical Survey Report produced from

182-478: Was previously feared extinct. Clare Miller who managed the South Atlantic Invasive Species project said: Saint Helena’s wildlife has been ravaged by species introduced to the island. Goats, gorse, grasses, and cage birds have all been liberated on the island where they have wreaked havoc with the native species. Saint Helena is a noted extinction hotspot, driven largely by non-native species, and

196-504: Was rediscovered by botanists Philip Lambdon and Andrew Darlow of the European Union 's South Atlantic Invasive Species Project and by local naturalist Pat Joshua. Subsequent work by the project team located five distinct populations totalling about 4000 plants. The rediscovery is timely as the existing populations are being encroached on by an invasive African fountain grass Pennisetum setaceum . This Cyperaceae article

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