Scleria glabra Boeckeler

Cyperaceae, K Hoenselaar, B. Verdcourt & H. Beentje. Hypolytrum, D Simpson. Fuirena, M Muasya. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2010

Type

Type: Malawi, Shire Highlands, Buchanan 2 (B, holo.; E!, K!, iso.)

Morphology General Habit

Entirely glabrous annual with erect stems 0.25–1.2 m tall

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1.5–4(–6) mm wide

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence paniculate, 4–25 cm long, often twice branched from the lower part, the branches slender and often compound with many glomerules of 2–16 spikelets, each 3.5–5 mm long blackish, the upper glomerules closely placed, the lower up to 4 cm apart.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes dark reddish black, paler at the base, all muticous or shortly mucronate, the female ones 2.5–3 mm long with green midrib, the males 2.5–4 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets grey or black but raised parts appearing lighter in colour, ± globose, 1.2–1.5 mm long, ± 1 mm wide, trabeculate-tuberculate or shallowly pitted or transversely wrinkled, with 3 longitudinal smooth bands, shortly apiculate.

Ecology

Seasonally or permanently boggy grassland; 700–1800(–1950 fide Napper) m

Distribution

Flora districts: T4 T7 T8 Range: Congo-Kinshasa (Shaba), Burundi, Malawi, Mozambique