Scleria bulbifera Hochst. ex A.Rich.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/123730483/123733785

Conservation

LC - least concern

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

Type

Type: Ethiopia, Mt Scholoda, Schimper 1557 (P, holo.; BM, K!, iso.)

Vegetative Multiplication Rhizomes

Rhizomatous or stoloniferous perennial 30–90 cm tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems somewhat distant to more crowded, with stem bases ± woody, thickened into bulb-like swellings 4–10 mm wide often covered with fibrous remains

Morphology Leaves

Lower leaf sheaths usually reddish brown and without leaf-blades, upper with leaf-blades 15–30 cm long, 2–5 mm wide, ligule ± absent but throat of sheaths with rim of dense whitish hairs

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences spicate, 5–20 cm long, bearing (3–)6–20 sessile erect glomerules 3–12 mm long, 5–8 mm wide comprising few to many bisexual dark reddish spikelets.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume

Glumes 3–5 mm long usually with green scabrid midrib, glabrous or with short whitish hairs

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets white, greyish brown or bluish grey, obovoid to subglobose, 1.5–2 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, smooth, slightly reticulate or tuberculate; hypogynium brownish, 0.4 mm long

Figures

Fig. 58: 5-6, p382

Ecology

From dry montane upland, open woodland and grassland to seasonally damp marshland; 200–2250 m

Note

The bulbs are eaten by the Wakamba ( Bally in CM 8092).

Distribution

Range: Widespread throughout tropical Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and down to South Africa, also in Madagascar Flora districts: U1 U2 U3 U4 K3 K4 K5 K6T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8

J. Browning, K.D. Gordon-Gray†, M. Lock, H. Beentje, K. Vollesen, K. Bauters, C. Archer, I. Larridon, M. Xanthos, P. Vorster, J. Bruhl, K. Wilson and X. Zhang (2020). Flora Zambesiaca Volume: 14: Cyperaceae. M.Á. García, J.R. Timberlake (Eds). Kew Publish

Type

Ethiopia, Mt Scholoda, 5.viii.1841, Schimper 1557 (P holotype, BM, K).

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb with woody bulbous stem base to 12 mm wide, contiguous or connected by slender rhizomes

Morphology Stem

Stems 20–120 cm tall, glabrous or hairy

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1–10 mm wide, glabrous or hairy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence with main axis 2–20 cm long, usually simply spicate, 2 lowest glomerules may produce branches to 4 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets

Spikelets 4–6.5 mm long; glumes glabrous, or hairy on midrib

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets obovoid to subglobose, 1.5–2 × 1–1.5 mm broad, smooth to lightly to strongly tuberculate or trabeculate, grey or pale brown.

Distribution

Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi. Widespread throughout tropical Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and South Africa, also in Madagascar.

Ecology

Open woodlands and grasslands, sometimes in seasonally damp but not permanently waterlogged dambos; 0–2200 m.

Conservation

Widespread; not threatened.

Recognition

A widespread species. The bulbous base is distinctive, and there are more glomerules in the inflorescence than in Scleria veseyfitzgeraldii, which is more vigorous. The species varies greatly in stature and leaf width and it is possible that with detailed analysis it could be subdivided. Robinson comments that the ornamentation of the nutlets is very variable and not correlated with other characters.

Cyperaceae, Miss S. S. Hooper. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Habit

Polymorphic rhizomatous perennial with swollen culm-bases

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1–5 mm. wide, the lower ones reduced almost to bladeless sheaths

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Spike up to 20 cm. long with 3–17 glomerules

Ecology

Damp places in woodland and savanna.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/172936099/172936101

Conservation

LC - least concern