Contains 15 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Classification
Citation
SCLERIA P. J. Bergius, Kongl. Vetensk. Acad. Handl. 26: 142. 1765.
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TYPE: Scleria flagellum-nigrorum P. J. Bergius, nom. illegit. (Scirpus lithospermus Linnaeus; Scleria lithosperma (Linnaeus) Swartz) Lectotypified by Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S., ed. 2. 1: 348. 1913.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scleria baldwinii | Baldwin's Nutrush | |||
| Scleria bellii | ||||
| Scleria ciliata var. ciliata | Hairy Nutrush | |||
| Scleria ciliata var. elliottii | Broad-leaved Hairy Nutrush | |||
| Scleria flaccida | Flaccid Nutrush | |||
| Scleria georgiana | Georgia Nutrush | |||
| Scleria minor | Slender Nutrush | |||
| Scleria muehlenbergii | Pitted Nutrush | |||
| Scleria nitida | Shining Nutrush | |||
| Scleria oligantha | Few-flowered Nutrush | |||
| Scleria pauciflora var. caroliniana | Carolina Nutrush | |||
| Scleria pauciflora var. pauciflora | Papillose Nutrush | |||
| Scleria reticularis | Netted Nutrush | |||
| Scleria triglomerata | Tall Nutrush | |||
| Scleria verticillata | Savanna Nutrush |
Identification Key
1. Hypogynium present at the achene base, marginate, ciliate, lobed, tuberculate, or papillose (sometimes obscured by a ciliate-margined cupule)
2
1. Hypogynium absent or vestigial, the tapered and lobed or indented achene base naked and visible
9
2. Leaf blades 10–25 mm wide
3
2. Leaf blades 1-11 mm wide
4
3. Main stem smooth; cupule with marginal red-brown cilia concealing the eciliate hypogynium
3. Main stem strongly retrorsely scabrous; cupule absent, the hypogynium without cilia
4. Hypogynium with papillose tubercles
5
4. Hypogynium lobed or obscurely angled and crustose
6
5. Hypogynium with 3 or 6 tubercles; achene ridged to tuberculate, sometimes faintly so (S. ciliata complex)
5. Hypogynium with 8-9 tubercles; achene smooth
6. Hypogynium narrower than achene body, a papillose continuous crust, obscurely angled (S. trigolmerata complex)
6. Hypogynium wider than achene body, lobed
7
7. Achene ridged, verrucose, sometimes faintly so, often pubescent but sometimes glabrate (S. reticularis complex)
7. Achene smooth, glabrous
8
8. Achene often with dark coloration, depressed globose (wider than long), without a cupule, the hypognium lacking cilia
8. Achene white, ovoid (longer than wide), cupule with sparse cilia concealing the eciliate hypogynium
9. Inflorescence a single terminal cluster
10
9. Inflorescence of few to several separated spikes (subg. Hypoporum)
11
10. Achenes 3–4 mm long, base not papillose or granulose
10. Achenes 2–3 mm long, base with papillose or granulose
11. Contra-ligules well-developed, ciliate; subtending bracts conspicuous and exceeding the spikes
11. Contra-ligules inconspicuous; subtending bracts inconspicuous, not exceeding the spikes
12
12. Plants rhizomatous; leaves pubescent or rarely glabrous; achene smooth
12. Plants without rhizomes; leaves glabrous; achene ridged
1. (Key A) Achenes reticulate-ridged
1. Achenes tuberculate, verrucose, or papillate, rarely nearly smooth
2
2. Leaves 1–2.5 mm wide; hypogynium with 6 distinctly separate tubercles arranged in pairs, and achenes 1–2.5 mm long
3
2. Leaves 1–7 mm wide; hypogynium with 3 tubercles (these sometimes 2-lobed) or 6 tubercles, and achenes 2–3.6 mm long
4
3. Plants glabrous or sparsely to densely hairy, hairs 0.1-0.4 mm long
3. Plants copiously villous-ciliate with spreading hairs 0.5–1 mm long on culms, leaves, and bracts
4. Culm 40-100 cm tall; primary terminal bract 2-5 mm wide, cilia 1-2.2 mm long; hypogynium with 6 (rarely 3 deeply lobed) tubercles, the basal rim 1.4-1.8(2.1) mm wide; achenes smooth or nearly so, papillate only at the base
4. Culm (15)30-70(75) cm tall; primary terminal bract 0.4-4.1 mm wide, cilia (0)0.1-1.1(1.3) mm long; hypogynium with 3 tubercles (these sometimes 2-lobed), the basal rim (0.6)0.8-1.4(1.6) mm wide; achenes usually ridged or reticulate and papillose throughout
5
5. Culms, leaves, and bracts glabrate, not ciliate
5. Culms hairy; leaves and bracts ciliate
6
6. Leaves 1–3.5 mm wide; achenes 2–3 mm long, 1.5–2.3 mm wide
6. Leaves (2.5)3.5–7 mm wide; achenes 2.6–3.6 mm long, 2–2.6 mm wide
1. (Key B) Leaves 1-2.5 mm wide; achenes 1.5-2 mm long
1. Leaves 3-9 mm wide; achenes 2-3 mm long
2
2. Rhizomes knotty; leaf sheath contraligule (sheath apex) adaxial membranous band glabrescent, sharply differentiated from the basal line (ligule of the contraligule) marking the transition from the sheath; achenes 2-2.5 mm long, 2-2.8 mm wide
2. Rhizomes elongate or not; leaf sheath contraligule (sheath apex) adaxial membranous band puberulent to tomentulose, indistinct from from the basal line (ligule of the contraligule) marking the transition from the sheath; achenes (2)2.8-3.3 mm long
3
3. Culms cespitose; inflorescence terminal and lateral; hypogynium covered with lance-acuminate scale-like laminae; of mesic to hydric areas
3. Culms along elongate rhizomes; inflorescence only terminal; hypogynium tuberculate; of mesic to xeric areas
1. (Key C) Culm 20-90(125) cm long; terminal stem internode 6-30 cm long; proximalmost lateral panicle spreading or drooping on filiform, flexuous peduncle (15)20–100 mm long; distalmost lateral panicle with bract (including sheath) usually 1/4–3/4 length of terminal internode; pistillate scales mostly 4-5 mm long; achene usually with tufts or lines of tawny hairs on ridges, rarely glabrous
1. Culms (6)15-50 cm long; terminal stem internode usually 3-8 cm long; proximalmost lateral panicle erect, on stiff erect peduncle 0-20(–90) mm long; distalmost lateral panicle with bract (including sheath) usually 3/4 or more length of terminal internode; pistillate scales mostly 3-4 mm long; achene glabrous
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| No synonyms found. | |||