Ficinia Schrad. (Schrader 1832: 143)

Rasaminirina, Fitiavana & Larridon, Isabel, 2023, The genera of Cyperaceae of Madagascar, Plant Ecology and Evolution 156 (3), pp. 276-310 : 276

2. Ficinia Schrad. (Schrader 1832: 143)

Type species.

Schoenus filiformis Lam. [= Ficinia filiformis (Lam.) Schrad.]

Description of the genus.

Small to medium-sized tufted perennials; frequently with a short or elongated creeping rhizome, stoloniferous, or decumbent. Culms scapose, more rarely with few to many nodes or branched, rarely thickened at the base, leafy only at the base or in all their length. Leaves often conspicuously ligulate (rarely eligulate), blade sometimes with scarious margins, or leaf reduced to a sheath. Primary bracts leaf-like (rarely bright yellow) or short, not sheathing, lowermost bract sometimes erect. Inflorescence rarely pseudolateral, mostly capitate, more rarely compacted, paniculate, spicate, or spikelets scattered along a profusely branched stem. Spikelets 1-many. Glumes with few to many spirally arranged or more rarely distichous, usually long-persistent glumes, each with a floret, or a few lower glumes empty. Floret bisexual. Perianth bristles absent. Stamens 3; anthers linear, often apiculate or setiferous. Style deeply 3-fid, sometimes 2-fid, rarely almost undivided; base not distinct, not thickened, deciduous. Nutlets mostly obovoid, rounded trigonous, rarely biconvex, base mostly surrounded by a tightly enveloping cupular to 3-lobed disc (gynophore), surface usually smooth.

Distribution and ecology.

Ficinia is a cosmopolitan genus ( POWO 2022). It grows in wet or dry mountain grasslands ( Browning and Goetghebeur 2017). In Madagascar, Ficinia is known from the Analamanga region of Antananarivo province. Only a single endemic species is known from Madagascar, i.e. Ficinia ciliata Boeckeler. No illustration is available of this species and the type material has not been located.