Scleria P.J.Bergius (Bergius 1765: 142)

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

Scleria P.J.Bergius (Bergius 1765: 142)

Type species.

Scleria flagellum-nigrorum P.J.Bergius

Description of the genus.

Habit variable, from tiny annuals with fibrous roots to perennial climbers more than 10 meters tall; stoloniferous rhizome or tubers; aerial adventitious roots at stem nodes (adaptation to flooded habitats). Culms trigonous or triquetrous, noded bearing leaves often without ligules, sometimes with a contraligule. Leaves alternate, tristichously arranged, often persistent at the base, and finely serrate at least along the distal third of the margins, rarely smooth: sometimes abruptly narrowed down or pseudopraemorse; sheaths sometimes winged, usually topped by a contraligule, opposite to the blade. Inflorescence bracts leaf-like and sheathing, setaceous, or glume-like; spikelet bract usually setaceous, rarely glume-like. Inflorescence variable, usually paniculate, but often with contracted partial inflorescences. Spikelets bearing flowers of one or both sexes, the bisexual ones with one basal female and one to few male flowers above; female spikelet similar but upper part reduced to 1-2 empty scales or wanting; male spikelet lacking basal female flower and with more male flowers. Glumes in androgynous or bisexual spikelets the lower part is female with distichously arranged glumes (a few may be empty), upper part male with few to many spirally arranged glumes. Florets always unisexual, enclosed by at least three glumes. Bristles absent. Stamens 1-3, anthers often linear, more or less apiculate. Style 3-fid; ovary surrounded at the base by a variously shaped (sometimes reduced) lobed hypogynium, which is shed with the fruit. Nutlets globose to ovoid, variously sculptured and ornamented, usually white, sometimes beaked, subtended by a cupule, frequently surrounded by a hypogynium.

Distribution and ecology.

Scleria is widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics up to North America ( POWO 2022). It grows in seasonally damp or permanently wet habitats, woodland, forests stream sides, and grasslands ( Browning and Goetghebeur 2017). Scleria occurs throughout Madagascar. The 25 previously known species, including e.g. Scleria bulbifera Hochst. ex A.Rich. (Fig. 7 ) and Scleria distans Poir. (Fig. 8A ), were recently monographed ( Díaz et al. 2019), and a new species has been recently discovered from northern Madagascar (Larridon et al. unpubl. data).

Figures

Figure 7. Scleria bulbifera. A. Habit showing rhizome. B. Junction of lamina and sheath. C. Androgynous spikelet with lower prophyll and one glume removed; remainder displaced to show lower female floret and upper male florets. D. Glomerule of three spikelets. E. Nutlet. A-D from Hilliard & Burtt 13394; E from Hilliard & Burtt 18036. Scale bars: A = 40 mm; B-E = 2 mm. Drawn by Jane Browning, reproduced with permission from the artist, originally published in Gordon-Gray (1995).

Figure 8. A. Scleria distans. B. Bulbostylis itremoensis. C. Fuirena pubescens (pale green) and Schoenoplectiella corymbosa (dark green). All photos by Fitiavana Rasaminirina.