CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF THE STEM OF CYPERUS-TEGETUM - A SEMIAQUATIC PLANT OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

Cyperus tegetum Roxb. is a perennial herb growing naturally in marshy land in the humid tropics including India. The stem of the plant is us ed for making mats for floor covering as well as decoration, and this is a remunerative occupation for people in the rural areas in India. A nalyses of the stem of C. tegetum grown under different fertilizer dos es for increasing yield showed no significant variations in compositio ns. The stem was lignocellulosic and similar in contents of major cons tituents to straws, bagasse, grasses, etc. The stem being acidic could have a strong affinity to basic dyes for attractive colour finishing of mats, though the high crude fat content might inhibit good colourat ion. The strength properties of upper, middle and lower portions of st em measured by breaking load indicated higher strength in the middle p ortion than other parts of the stem. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. Al l rights reserved.