Scleria gaertneri Raddi

Goetghebeur, P. & Larridon, I., 2019, A revision of Scleria (Cyperaceae) in Madagascar, Blumea 64 (3), pp. 195-213 : 209-210

25. Scleria gaertneri Raddi

Scleria gaertneri Raddi (1823) 331. — Type: Raddi s.n. (holotype PI), Brazil, Rio de Janeiro.

Scleria melaleuca Rchb.ex Schltdl.& Cham.(1831) 29. — Scleria pterota var. melaleuca (Rchb.ex Schltdl.& Cham.) Uittien (1934) 140. — Type: Weigelt s.n. (lectotype designated here: G00098565; isolectotypes F0045612F, G00098566, HAL0079367), Surinam, 1827.

Scleria asperata C. Presl (1828) 268, nom. inval., later validly described as Scleria communis Kunth. — Scleria communis Kunth (1837) 340. — Type: Sieber Agrostotheca 100 (lectotype designated here: HAL0082038), Australia, 1823.

Scleria scindens Nees ex Kunth (1837) 343. — Scleria pterota C.Presl ex C.B. Clarke (1900a) 146, nom. superfl.. — Type: Sieber 269 (isotype MO657694 n.v.), Martinique. Note: Presl (1828: 268) cited the type, previously identified as Scleria latifolia Sw. , as representing a new species Scleria pterota C.Presl , nom. inval.

Scleria affinis C.Presl ex Steud. (1841) 542, nom. inval.

Scleria pratensis Lindl. ex Nees (1842) 179. — Type: Nees (1842) 179, t. XXIII.

Scleria conspersa Sellow ex Nees (1842) 179. — Type: Sellow 79 (not located).

Scleria pratensis var. melanocarpa Nees (1842) 179. — Type: not located.

Scleria selloana Schrad. ex Nees (1842) 179, nom inval. in synon.

Scleria simplicior Steud. (1855) 169. — Type: Guyana (not located).

Scleria flagellata Sw. ex Boeckeler (1874) 506, nom inval. in synon.

Scleria ottonis Boeckeler (1874) 490. — Type: Otto 299 (not located), Cuba.

Scleria longifolia Boeckeler (1882) 30. — Type: Hildebrandt 2924 (lectotype designated here: K000363352; isolectotypes B†, CORD00002145, GOET002940, JE00005191, JE00005192, L0042785, M0107094, P00346042, P00346043, US00087112), Madagascar, Nossi-be , forests near Loucou-be, Apr. 1879.

Scleria pittieri Boeckeler (1896) 159. — Type: Pittier s.n. (not located), Costa Rica.

Scleria boliviana Palla (1910) 90, nom. nud.

Scleria congolensis De Wild. (1926) 19. — Type: Vanderyst 2229 (lectotype BR0000008638939), Democratic Republic Congo.

Scleria pterota var. submelaleuca Kük. (1926) 216. — Type: not located.

Perennial, tufted with well-developed rhizome. Culm 35–80 cm by 1.3–1.6 mm. Leaves 10–30 cm by 5–8 mm, generally glabrous but central vein ciliate, some basal leaves with few but conspicuous hairs, margins scabrid; spine-like hairs present along the distal part of the leaves, antrorse, sheaths slightly winged; contraligule triangular, glabrous, sometimes puberulous, strongly ciliate along the margin. Inflorescence with panicles spiciform, little branched, rachilla reddish, flattened, completely glabrous; one or two terminal panicles, up to 5 cm long; laterals solitary, generally two or three, distal panicle close to the terminal, basal much shorter than the internode; peduncles up to 5 cm. Spikelets unisexual, mostly 3/ 4 female; glumes bearing male flowers 2.5–3.5 mm long, female 3–3.5 mm, both straw-coloured with reddish margin and green midrib. Nutlets globose, 2–3 mm diam, smooth, hairy underneath, shiny, white; hypogynium deeply trilobed, margin revolute.

Distribution — Africa, Central and South America, and Madagascar. It is as a weed in Peru ( Clavo Peralta 1993), Costa Rica, Honduras, Trinidad and Dominican Republic ( Holm et al. 1979).

Habitat & Ecology — In Madagascar, coastal to mid altitude wet forest, alt. 0–1200 m.

Vernacular names — Malagasy: vendrmaro, serosera nbambo.

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

Additional specimens. MADAGASCAR, Antsiranana, 400 m, 28 May 1995, L. Gautier & C. Chatelain 2829 ( MO, TAN) ; Ankarana Massif , 170 m, 31 Jan. 2003, M. Bardot-Vaucoulon et al. 1385 (K, MO, TAN) ; Besinkaram , 350 m, 2 Apr. 1996, L. Gautier & S.T. Beck LG2959 (G, K, MO, TAN) ; Maroantsetra , 28 Feb. 1988, D.A. Simpson 88/87 (K, MO, TAN) ; Nossibé, Apr. 1879, J.M. Hildebrandt 2924 (JE, K, P01888534); Sava , 1190 m, 3 Mar.2006, R. Razakamalala et al.2709 (K, MO) ; Fianarantsoa,km 23 RN25 Mananjary-Ifanadiana , 30 m, 16 Dec. 2017, P. Wilkin et al. 941 (K) ; Toamasina, Maroantsetra ,An- dranofotsy river, 11 Feb. 1988, D.A. Simpson & M. Cheek 88/19 (K, TAN) ; route Fotsimaro-Ambodiriano , Dec. 1962, J.M. Bosser 17021 (K, TAN) .

Note — In a study from Brazil, Silva et al. (2001) noted that S. gaertneri establishes arbuscular mycorrhizae in some environments. In South America, it has been utilised as a stimulant of the nervous system and to treat constipation ( Alcorn 1984) and snake poisoning ( Soares et al. 2004). In Tanzania, it is locally used as a medicine to treat dysmenorrhoea and colds in humans, and rinderpest in cattle ( Burkill 1985). Schoenus latifolius Vahl (1805: 226) and its nomen novum Dichromena vahlii A.Dietr. (1833: 169) based on the type specimen from Puerto Rico is sometimes placed in synonymy. Although the type specimen (C10010674) is not in good condition and therefore difficult to identify with certainty, Camelbeke (2002) considered it to be Scleria mitis P.J.Bergius instead.