Scleria ciliata Michx.

Fringed nutrush (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Poales > Cyperaceae > Scleria

Characteristics

Plants perennial; rhizomes elongate, knotted, rather stout. Culms sometimes in tufts, erect, stout to slender or almost filiform, 20–70 cm, glabrous or hairy, especially on angles distally. Leaves: sheaths sometimes purplish, not or scarcely winged, weakly ribbed, densely pubescent or glabrous; contra-ligules subrotund to triangular, short; blades linear, keeled, obtuse, shorter than, equaling, or overtopping culm, 1–7 mm wide, ciliate or glabrous. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, fasciculate, 0.5–2.5 cm; clusters few to many flowered, 5–10 mm wide, each with 2–4(–5) spikelets; axillary clusters sometimes on short erect to slender filiform peduncles; bracts subtending inflorescence leaflike, awl-shaped, to 15+ cm, often appearing to be continuation of culm, conspicuously ciliate or glabrous. Spikelets bisexual and staminate, 4–8 mm; staminate scales lanceolate, membranous; pistillate scales ovate-acuminate, midrib conspicuous. Achenes whitish or often brownish gray, globose, 2–3 mm, base constricted, trigonous, apex usually umbonate, tuberculate or verrucose, rarely smooth, papillate at base; hypogynium golden brown, obtusely 3-angled border, supporting 3 yellowish, globose, spiculose or pulverulent, entire or 2-lobed tubercles.
More
Erect from knotty rhizomes, 3–8 dm; lvs glabrous or hairy, long-attenuate, the larger 2–7 mm wide; cymes 2–3 and approximate or solitary, short-peduncled or sessile, 1–3 cm; pistillate scales ovate, acuminate or short-awned, glabrous or hairy, the prominent midrib projecting as a wing-like keel toward the base; achene globose, white, roughly papillose, (1.5–)2–3 mm thick, minutely apiculate; hypogynium with 3 prominent, transversely ellipsoid tubercles, each often ± 2-lobed. Damp sandy soil and pine-barrens; se. Va. to Fla., Tex., and Cuba, n. in the interior to Mo. (S. elliottii)
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality
Pollination -
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Root system rhizome
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Environment

Light -
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Hardiness (USDA) 5-12

Usage

Uses medicinal
Edible -
Therapeutic use Medicine (unspecified)
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Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

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Distribution

Scleria ciliata world distribution map, present in Åland Islands, Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Georgia, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Paraguay, and United States of America

Conservation status

Scleria ciliata threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:314639-1
WFO ID wfo-0000549143
COL ID 4VNNL
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Acorus brasiliensium Scleria ciliata Scleria coriacea Scleria hirtella Scleria macrantha Scleria melanomphala var. macrantha

Lower taxons

Scleria ciliata var. ciliata Scleria ciliata var. elliottii Scleria ciliata var. glabra