Scleria aff. woodii

Goetghebeur, P. & Larridon, I., 2019, A revision of Scleria (Cyperaceae) in Madagascar, Blumea 64 (3), pp. 195-213 : 210-211

1. Scleria aff. woodii

Perennial. Rhizome 2 mm wide. Stems very close to each other, reddish at the base, old sheaths persistent. Culm 0.5–0.7 by 0.5–1 mm, triquetrous, slightly bulbous at the base. Leaves 15–20 cm by 1–1.5 mm, glabrous, margin entire; contraligule truncated, rounded, ciliated, dark red. Inflorescence a lax terminal panicle, 10–15 cm long; inflorescence bract slender and as long as the whole panicle; glomerules with 4–5 spikelets, branches up to 3 cm. Spikelets androgynous; glumes 4–4.5 mm, glabrous, straw-coloured, not mucronate at all. Nutlet 1.5–1.8 by 0.8–0.9 mm, trigonous, elliptic, white, longitudinally wrinkled; hypogynium absent, 3 depressions at the base.

Specimens. MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa, Ambatofinandrahana , 1400– 1500 m, 17 Jan. 1955, H. Humbert & R. Capuron 28113 (K) ; Toliara,Andra- homana, 1–100 m, 25–26 Feb. 1955, H. Humbert & R. Capuron 29119 (K) .

Note — There are two specimens available, collected the same year from very distant places. This taxon belongs to a group of subg. Hypoporum species (like S. woodii C.B.Clarke , S. rehmannii C.B.Clarke , S. paupercula E.A.Rob. ), which are not represented in Madagascar, i.e., species with large inflorescences branched just once and a conspicuous rhizome ( Haines & Lye 1983: 334). The nutlet is very distinct, with weak longitudinal wrinkles ( Fig. 5a ). The nutlets of S. woodii are very different.

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).