Scleria

Scleria
Scleria testacea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Cyperaceae
Genus:	Scleria P.J.Bergius
Diversity
About 200 species

Scleria is a genus of flowering plants in the sedge family, Cyperaceae. They are known commonly as nutrushes. ^[1] They are distributed throughout the tropics, and some species have ranges extending into temperate areas. ^[2] There are about 200 species. ^{[2] [3]}

Etymology

The genus name Scleria is Greek, meaning "hardness", in reference to the tough seeds. ^[4]

Description

Plants of this genus are diverse in appearance. These are mostly perennial, but sometimes annual. Some have rhizomes. They produce solitary stems or clumps of many. They are a few centimeters tall to well over one meter. They have few leaves or many. The inflorescence is variable, ranging from a single spikelet to over 100. ^[3] Despite the variety, examination of the fruits and subterranean structures is required to distinguish species. ^[2]

Selected species

Main article: List of Scleria species

• Scleria afroreflexa
• Scleria amazonica
• Scleria biflora
• Scleria bracteata
• Scleria ciliaris
• Scleria ciliata
• Scleria dregeana
• Scleria foliosa
• Scleria greigiifolia
• Scleria iostephana
• Scleria mackaviensis
• Scleria mikawana
• Scleria oligantha
• Scleria pauciflora
• Scleria poklei
• Scleria reticularis
• Scleria robinsoniana
• Scleria sumatrensis
• Scleria terrestris
• Scleria triglomerata
• Scleria verticillata
• Scleria vogelii

References

1. Scleria. Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
2. Scleria. Flora of China.
3. Scleria. Flora of North America.
4. Merrit Lyndon Fernald (1970). R. C. Rollins (ed.). Gray's Manual of Botany (Eighth (Centennial) - Illustrated ed.). D. Van Nostrand Company. p. 290. ISBN   0-442-22250-5.

External links

• Camelbeke, K. and P. Goetghebeur. (2002). The genus Scleria (Cyperaceae) in Colombia. An updated checklist. Caldasia 24(2), 259–68.