XVI International Botanical Congess

Typha dominguensis (Typhaceae), Eleocharis mutata and Cyperus articulatus (Cyperaceae) are the main wild vegetation in a permanent flooded wetland, where water-buffaloes are grown for milk and meat production. Crude protein in E. mutata young culms was 20% dry weight (DW), which is a high value in comparison with tropical pastures. Typha showed the highest values of phenols (6.6% DW), contrasting with Eleocharis (<3.3% DW) and Cyperus (<2.4% DW). In the 3 Species the soluble carbohydrates represented a high fraction of the total non structural carbohydrates (35-59%), where this total reach values up to 178 g glucose kg-1 DW. Potassium, sodium, chloride and sulfate were the most abundant inorganic components of the osmolality. Total phosphorus concentration in the culms were always low (0.1% DW). Cyperus had lower values of N, Ca and Mg than the other Species.