Scleria aff. gaertneri

Goetghebeur, P. & Larridon, I., 2019, A revision of Scleria (Cyperaceae) in Madagascar, Blumea 64 (3), pp. 195-213 : 211

2. Scleria aff. gaertneri

Perennial, with many stolons present. Culms 70–80 cm by 2–3 mm, old leaves surrounding the base. Leaves every 4 – 6 cm, 25–30 cm by 6–7 mm, villose all over; contraligule rounded, pilose, reddish. Inflorescence a lax panicle, with a leafy bract at the base; terminal inflorescence 10–11 cm long, plus peduncle 10–15 cm long; lateral 6–7 cm long in total, clearly shorter than the internode. Spikelets with hairy rachilla; spikelet bracts leafy, up to 3–4 cm long, hairy; glumes 4–5 mm long, straw-coloured; external glumes hairy. Nutlet globose, 3 mm diam; hypogynium triangular, margin yellowish brown thickened, black inside, white to beige.

Specimen. MADAGASCAR, Antsiranana, Ambilobe, Ifasy Valley , 50–200 m ,

31 Mar. 1951, H. Humbert & R. Capuron 25909 (K).

Note — This specimen has a peculiar hypogynium ( Fig.

5b–c). Scleria gaertneri has a perfectly regular trilobed hypogynium, whereas this specimen has a triangular thickened yellowish one. The inflorescence is triangular, and it is made up of spikelets with long conspicuous bracts resembling those of S. boivinii . These bracts are not found in Scleria gaertneri .

Figures

Fig. 5 Nutlets of incertae sedis Scleria specimens from Madagascar. a. S. aff. woodii; b–c. S. aff. gaertneri (a: H. Humbert & R. Capuron 28113; b–c: H. Humbert & R. Capuron 25909; all K).