Scleria poiformis Retz.

Goetghebeur, P. & Larridon, I., 2019, A revision of Scleria (Cyperaceae) in Madagascar, Blumea 64 (3), pp. 195-213 : 204

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3767/blumea.2019.64.03.01
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/BC3D9F16-6E12-FFD8-FFC8-E9BB2469FECA
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Scleria poiformis Retz.
status

Treatment

10. Scleria poiformis Retz. View in CoL

Scleria poiformis Retz. (1786) 13. — Carex poiformis (Retz.) J.F.Gmel. (1791) 138. — Type: KÖnig s.n. (lectotype designated here: C10010679), Sri Lanka.

Scleria oryzoides J.Presl & C. Presl (1828) View in CoL 201. — Type: Haenke s.n. (lectotype designated here: PRC450374; isolectotypes HAL0063378, K000291177, W n.v.), Philippines, Luzon .

Scleria coriacea G.Bertol. (1854) View in CoL 476, nom. illeg. — Scleria bertolonii M. Martens (1857) View in CoL 570. — Type: Bertoloni s.n. (isotype P00465995), Mozambique, 1842.

Perennial, aquatic with strong rhizome. Culm 1.3–2 m by 3–10 mm, glabrous. Leaves 40–70 by 1–3 cm, glabrous to scabrid; sheaths glabrous; contraligule truncated. Inflorescence a single terminal panicle, densely branched, 10–20 by 5–10 cm; sometimes small lateral panicles present. Spikelets unisexual or subandrogynous; glumes 3–4.5 mm long, brown, dark. Nutlet 3–3.5 by 2–2.5 mm, ovoid, smooth, white.

Distribution — Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, Madagascar, Asia and Australia. It has become a weed in Australia, Thai- land, Vietnam and Indonesia, where it grows in swamps, wet grasslands and in croplands ( Holm et al. 1979, Simpson & Inglis 2001, Naczi & Ford 2008).

Habitat & Ecology — In Madagascar, it occurs along the east coast, at sea level.

Conservation — Scleria poiformis is widely distributed in Eastern Africa, Southern Africa, Madagascar, Asia and Australia, and there are no specific threats which affect this species. Therefore, it is here assessed as Least Concern.

Additional specimens. MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa, Jan. 1964, J. Bosser 19017 ( MO, P01888489 , TAN) ; Toamasina,environs deTamatave, 10Jan.1933, Decary s.n. (P01888488); environs de Tamatave, 27 Nov. 1912, R. Viguier & H.Humbert 431 (P01888485); Vatomandry, Nov.1921, H. Perrier de la Bâthie 14102 (P01888484, TAN) .

Note — It is used in West Africa, for polishing wood and to reduce abdominal inflammation ( Burkill 1985). The name that appears in the protologue is S. po ae formis; however, its spelling has been revised to S. poiformis ( Govaerts et al. 2019, IPNI 2018).