Scleria pooides Ridl.

Goetghebeur, P. & Larridon, I., 2019, A revision of Scleria (Cyperaceae) in Madagascar, Blumea 64 (3), pp. 195-213 : 203-204

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3767/blumea.2019.64.03.01
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/BC3D9F16-6E13-FFD8-FC87-EABA2645FBFE
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Scleria pooides Ridl.
status

Treatment

9. Scleria pooides Ridl. View in CoL

Scleria pooides Ridl.(1884a) 170. — Type: Welwitsch 7142 (lectotype designated by Bauters et al. 2019: LISU222777; isolectotype BM000922698, K000363388, LISU222778), Angola, Huilla , Nov. 1859.

Scleria multispiculata Boeckeler (1888) View in CoL 36. — Type: Buchanan s.n. (lectotype designated by Bauters et al. 2019: K000363389; isolectotypes B†, E00200199, K, P00465996), Malawi, Shiri Highlands, July 1885.

Scleria prophyllata Nelmes (1955) View in CoL 434. — Type: Milne-Redhead 3995 (lectotype designated by Bauters et al. 2019: K000363386, isolectotypes BM, BR0000005577842, K000363387, PRE0105028-0), Angola, Moxico, 8 Jan. 1938.

Perennial, rhizomatous. Culm 30–40 cm long, glabrous. Leaves 12–17 cm by 0.5–1.5 mm, glabrous. Inflorescence a terminal lax panicle, 4–8 cm long, with compound branches; glomerules formed by single spikelets subtended by thin flexuous branches. Spikelets androgynous; glumes bearing the female flower 2–3 mm long, glabrous to shortly hispidulous, dark. Nutlet 1–1.5 mm long, ovoid to globose, tuberculate.

Distribution — Tropical Africa and Madagascar.

Habitat & Ecology — In Madagascar it is found in the central grasslands, alt. 1200–1500 m.

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

Additional specimens. MADAGASCAR, Antananarivo, environs de Antsirabe, Jan.1914, H.Perrier de la Bâthie 2727 (P01888480);ibid., Jan.1956, J.Bosser 8921 (P01888479, TAN); Mont Lombony , environs de Antsirabe, 1500 m, Jan. 1920, H. Perrier de la Bâthie 12982 (P01888481, TAN001211 ); forêt de la Mandraka, 1909, d’ Alleizetle 328 (P01888482) .

Note — Ridley named this species after the genus Poa L. because of the slender and flexuous branches that hold the solitary spikelets. It can be distinguished from S. hilsenbergii due to its smaller glumes, solitary spikelets and shorter and crowded panicle. It appears as S. po ae oides in the protologue, however, its spelling has been revised to S. pooides ( Govaerts et al. 2019, IPNI 2018).