Scleria, FROM

Goetghebeur, P. & Larridon, I., 2019, A revision of Scleria (Cyperaceae) in Madagascar, Blumea 64 (3), pp. 195-213 : 200-201

KEY TO SPECIES OF SCLERIA FROM MADAGASCAR

1. Most spikelets androgynous; hypogynium absent (sect. Hypoporum ).................................. 2

1. Most spikelets unisexual or subandrogynous; hypogynium conspicuous (except for S. baronii )............... 10

2. Inflorescence with lateral panicles subtended by leafy bracts ( Fig. 1l ); nutlets smooth with 3 depressions at the base............................ 1. S. lithosperma

2. Inflorescence made of a single terminal spike or panicle, without leafy bracts; nutlets different............... 3

3. Inflorescence a terminal lax panicle............... 4

3. Inflorescence a terminal spicate-glomerate panicle... 5

4. Glomerules with 2–5 spikelets ( Fig. 1h ); nutlets 1–1.3 by 0.7–1 mm diam, trigonous, wrinkles arranged mainly transversally ( Fig. 2i–j ); culms puberulous at least at the base; annual plants................ 7. S. hilsenbergii

4. Single spikelets held by slender and flexuous branches; nutlets 1–1.5 mm long, ovoid to globose, tuberculate; culms glabrous; perennial plants, rhizomatous.. 9. S. pooides

5. Plants annual, culms <20 cm .................... 6

5. Plants perennial, culms> 20 cm .................. 7

6. Culm <10 cm; nutlets <1.5 mm long, wrinkled ( Fig. 2f ).................................. 8. S. perpusilla

6. Culm> 10 cm; nutlets ≥ 1.5 mm long; slightly trabeculate.............................. 3. S. ankaratrensis

7. Glomerules erect.............................. 8

7. Glomerules reflexed ( Fig. 1g ).................... 9

8. Conspicuous tubers present at the base of the culm; nutlets reticulate or tuberculate............... 4. S. bulbifera

8. No tubers present; nutlets with raised transverse ridges but not tuberculate.............. 2. S. andringitrensis

9. Nutlets smooth............. 5. S. distans var. distans

9. Nutlets ornamented.... 6. S. distans var. chondrocarpa

10. Inflorescence a single terminal dense panicle, without leafy bracts, small lateral panicles rarely present; stout aquatic perennial, rhizomatous.............. 10. S. poiformis

10. Inflorescence always with leafy bracts (flower-bearing branches therefore in terminal and lateral positions); terrestrial annuals or perennials................... 11

11. Panicles truncated (main axis underdeveloped; Fig. 1d–e ). ... ... ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .... 12

11. True panicles, pyramidal or at least main axis well developed ( Fig. 1a–c )............................. 18

12. Hypogynium loosely attached to the nutlet; nutlets frequently ornamented; culm <1 m; leaves; annual plants or perennials with short rhizome (sect. Foveolidia)..... 13

12. Hypogynium appressed; nutlets smooth; perennials with thick rhizome................................ 17

13. Nutlets 3.5 by 1.7–2 mm, oblong, smooth, sometimes very slightly pitted, white; hypogynium without conspicuous lobes, margin obscure with red dots. 16. S. hildebrandtii

13. Nutlets either hairy at the base or (partially or entirely) reticulate; hypogynium clearly lobed............... 14

14. Culm conspicuously triquetrous, perennial; nutlets slightly pitted, hairy underneath; hypogynium with three slender lobes........................... 17. S. lagoensis

14. Culm trigonous, annual or perennial; nutlets clearly pitted or reticulated, at least in the basal half; hypogynium different........................................ 15

15. Perennial with reddish rhizome; nutlets white, pitted, hairy; hypogynium with long lobes, 2–3-fid; leaves 20–25 by 0.4–0.5 cm, sheath scabrid........... 14. S. achtenii

15. Annual plants; nutlets reticulate but glabrous; leaves <30 cm long.................................... 16

16. Lateral panicles in pairs, peduncle 3–15 cm; nutlets ovoid, 3.5 by 2.5 mm, reticulated but smooth at the apex, white; hypogynium with lobes rounded, contraligule rounded..................................... 15. S. foliosa

16. Lateral panicles solitary; nutlets oblong,3–3.5 by 1.5–2 mm, regularly tessellate, white; hypogynium trilobed, loosely appressed to the nutlets, yellowish brown; contraligule trun- cate............................ 18. S. tessellata

17. Nutlets 4–4.5 by 2–3 mm, beaked, white; hypogynium embracing the stipe; peduncle up to 20 cm, flexuous ( Fig. 1e ); leaves glabrous; contraligule absent; glumes densely ciliate inside........................... 11. S. greigiifolia

17. Nutlets 3–3.5 by 2–2.5 mm oblong, apex dark ( Fig. 1d ); peduncle> 15 cm; leaves with margin ciliate at the proximal part; contraligule truncated,obtuse, slightly membranous on the margin, glumes glabrous inside and hairy externally............................. 12. S. melanomphala

18. Hypogynium heart-shaped with laciniate lobes...... 19

18. Hypogynium never laciniate.................... 21

19. Culm <1.5 m, spikelet, rachilla and prophyll red/purple; glumes straw-coloured to dark purple/reddish, margin ciliate; lateral panicles shorter than the internode ( Fig. 1a )................................... 23. S. rosea

19. Culm> 1.5 m; stem, spikelet, rachilla and glumes straw-coloured or brown; lateral panicles shorter or longer than the internode................................ 20

20. Lateral panicles generally shorter than the internode ( Fig. 1c ); leaves largely acuminated, pleated when pressed; glumes straw-coloured, ciliate at the base; ( Fig. 2m –n ).................................. 20. S. angusta

20. Lateral panicles longer than the internode ( Fig. 1b ); leaves pseudopraemorse, not pleated when dried; external glumes brownish but purple/red on the margins, internals purplish ( Fig. 2c–d )......................... 24. S. trialata

21. Hypogynium clearly trilobed.................... 22

21. Hypogynium without distinctive lobes............. 24

22. Inflorescence including glumes, prophyll and rachilla red; leaves pseudopraemorse; sheaths winged; contraligule membranous; nutlets ovoid; hypogynium with lobes short and dentate ( Fig. 2a–b )..... 22. S. madagascariensis

22. Inflorescence straw-coloured; nutlets globose to ovoid; lobes of the hypogynium never dentate........... 23

23. Nutlets hairy in basal half; hypogynium deeply trilobed, margin revolute; rachilla reddish, flattened; glumes straw-coloured with reddish margin and green midrib........................................ 25. S. gaertneri

23. Nutlets glabrous; lobes of hypogynium truncated ( Fig. 2k–l ); rachilla scabrid; glumes uniformly straw-coloured................................... 19. S. rutenbergiana

24. Perennial climber up to 10 m, tufted at the base; leaves very sharp, not pseudopraemorse; staminal crest up to 1 mm; nutlet minutely hairy; hypogynium revolute....................................... 13. S. boivinii

24. Stout perennials up to 2.5–3 m; leaves pseudopraemorse; stamina crest slightly developed; nutlets glabrous, smooth; hypogynium either ciliate or very reduced.......... 25

25. Nutlets 4.5–5 by 3–4 mm, beige, style persistent; hypogynium regularly ciliate; cupule thickened; culm up to 3 m; sheaths winged................... 26. S. racemosa

25. Nutlets 2.5–3 by 2–2.5 mm; style deciduous; hypogynium very reduced; cupule thick and dark ( Fig. 2e ); sheaths not winged............................ 21. S. baronii

TAXONOMIC TREATMENT OF THE SCLERIA SPECIES FROM MADAGASCAR

Figures

Fig. 1 Main types of inflorescences of Scleria from Madagascar. a. Inflorescence of S. rosea; b. inflorescence of S. trialata; c. inflorescence of S. angusta; d. truncated panicle of S. melanomphala; e. truncated panicle of S. greigiifolia; f. truncated panicle of S. foliosa; g. spicate-glomerulate inflorescence of S. distans; h. panicle of S. hilsenbergii; i. inflorescence of S. lithosperma (a: Ramandimbimanana & Randimbiarison 460; b: Lance 30; c: Mogg 288898; d: Brummit & Singe 232; e: Bosser 15031; f: Raynal 7664; g: Croat 29582; h: Rajaonary 45; i: Frontier-Tanzania Coastal Programme Research Forest 412; all K). — Scale bar: a = 7 cm, b–h = 5 cm, i = 4 cm.

Fig. 2 Nutlets of Scleria species occurring in Madagascar. a–b. S. madagascariensis; c–d. S. trialata; e. S. baronii; f. S. perpusilla; g–h. S. rosea; i–j. S. hilsenbergii; k–l. S. rutenbergiana; m–n. S. angusta; o. S. andringitrensis (a–b: Rakotozafy 2741; c–d: Lance 30; e. Hoffman 221; f. Decary 7695; g–h: Ranarivelo 282; i–j. Rajaonary 45; k–l: Wilkin 941; m–n: Boivin s.n.; o: Perrier de la Bâthie 14385; all K).