Cyperaceae
Scleria

Scleria gracillima Boeckeler

First published in Flora 42: 570 (1879)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical Africa. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

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

Morphology General Habit
Slender annual (or perennial?) up to 75 cm. high
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 1–2 mm, wide
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicles small and delicate, almost spike-like, the lateral ones pendulous on slender or filiform peduncles thickening upwards, usually paired
Ecology
In seasonally swampy grasslands.
[FWTA]

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

Type
Type: Sudan, Jur Ghattas, Schweinfurth 189 (B, holo.; K, iso.)
Morphology General Habit
Entirely glabrous slender annual 25–55(–70) cm tall
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 1–2 mm wide
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences with the lateral panicles single or in pairs at each node, few-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
Peducles foliform, pendulous; male spikelets straw-coloured, 3–4 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels up to 4 mm long; female glumes tinged with red
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets whitish or grey with darker grey or blackish longitudinal stipes, oblong-cylindric, (2.2–)2.9–3.3 mm long, 1.7–1.8 mm wide, smooth and shiny; hypogynium pale greenish yellow with or without a dark reddish brown margin, not or only faintly lobed.
Ecology
Boggy grassland; 900 m
Distribution
Range: Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, S Nigeria, Central African Republic, Sudan and Zambia; also in Brazil Flora districts: T8
[FTEA]

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
Sudan, Jur Ghattas, 20.x.1869, Schweinfurth III 189 (B?† holotype, K).
Morphology General Habit
Slender annual herb, 25–55(70) cm tall, entirely glabrous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 1–2 mm wide
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence with lateral panicles, single or paired at each node, few-flowered; peduncles filiform, pendulous
sex Male
Male spikelets 3–4 mm long, straw-coloured, pedicels to 4 mm long; female glumes tinged with red
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets oblong-cylindric, (2.2)2.9–3.3 × 1.7–1.8 mm, smooth and shiny, whitish or grey with darker grey or blackish longitudinal stripes; hypogynium pale greenish yellow, with or without a dark reddish brown margin, not or only faintly lobed.
Distribution
Zambia, Malawi. Also in Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, S Nigeria, Central African Republic, Sudan and Tanzania.
Ecology
In seasonal dambos; 700–1400 m.
Conservation
Widespread; not threatened.
[FZ]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/120180425/120180429

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0