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Key to Genus Scleria Bergius
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Sedge species in the Genus Scleria number some 200 worldwide but, until recently, only one species was recorded from Hawai‘i: indigenous S. testacea. This species is also found in the New World tropics, where it was known previously as S. phylloptera. In Hawai‘i, the species has been found only on Hawai‘i Island (Imada, 2012). Recently, it has come to light that a second species, S. gaertneri, native to both Africa and Central and South Amerrica, is present on Maui and Moloka‘i (Faccenda, 2023b). Five species of Scleria are found on Guam, all considered indigenous. However, S. testacea is not one of the five (Raulerson, 2006).
The inflorescence of Scleria sedges is distinctive with the female florets resembling tiny acorns and the male florets hidden within a sac-like bract called a perigynium (see Fig. 38A at left; click to enlarge). The female floret develops into a seed (achene) that is typically a shiney white, grey, or purple.
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[GENUS SCLERIA]
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20a
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( 16)
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Sedge is a perennial, culms arising from a woody rhizome (underground horizontal stem). Inflorescences borne either all along the culm or only on the upper part .. .
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[21] |
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20b
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Sedge is a tufted annual without a woody rhizome. Inflorescences borne all along the culm .. .
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[24] |
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21a
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(20)
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Tall sedge up to 4 ft (120 cm). Leaves 5-10 mm wide, tending to cluster in one or more close-togther groups along middle of the stem; midvein hairy on upper (adaxial) side with 2 veins on either side;. Inflorescences borne mostly on the upper half of the culm, with numerous, crowded spikelets on up to 7 lateral (and 1 terminal), branched, panicles. Primary bracts leaf-like. Spikelets in clusters of 2 or 3 with glumes conspicuously reddish-brown streaked. Hypogynium three-lobed, yellowish to reddish in color. Achenes globose, becoming glossy purple at maturity. { Grows in marshy places. [GUM-IND] Scleria polycarpa (L.) Sw.
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21b
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Spikelets in groups of 1 to 3, spaced out along the culm (or terminal) on simple panicles (unbranched or sparsely branched) .. .
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[22] |
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22a
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(21)
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Inflorescences distributed all along the culm .. .
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[23] |
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22b
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Inflorescence a terminal spike; spikelets few, attached to culm in the axils of 1-3 primary bracts of diminishing length up the culm. Achene ovoid or globose, weakly trigonous, base pinched (looking likle a light bulb). Hypogonium much reduced. ( [GUM - IND] Scleria lithosperma (L.) Sw.
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23a
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(22)
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Inflorescences borne all along the culm. Culms strongly three-sided (trigonous), even slightly concave between edges; edges retorsely scabrous (having tiny hooks pointing downward). Two to three Leaves, 30-50 cm long, lacking hairs (glabrous), sheath part winged, to some degree even on the excluded edge. Achenes slightly longer than wide, shiny ?grey or white, 2 mm across. Hypogynium cup-shaped. { Tall, perennial sedge on Hawai‘i Island and possibly West Maui. [HAW-IND] [FAC] Scleria testacea Nees
Figure 38B. Close-up of fruiting culm of Scleria testacea.
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23b
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Inflorescences borne all along the culm. As above in general aspects, but plant smaller, leaves 10-30 cm long, mostly glabrous but ciliate on the midvein and with scattererd hairs on some bassal leaves. Spikelets unisexual, typically three-fourths are female; glumes bearing male flowers 2.5–3.5 mm long, female 3–3.5 mm, both straw-coloured with reddish margin and green midrib. Achenes globose, 2–3 mm diam, smooth, hairy underneath, shiny grey or white; hypogynium deeply trilobed, margin revolute. { Perennial sedge recorded from Moloka‘i and Maui. [HAW-NAT] |
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24a
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(20)
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Small tufted plant with culms up to 1 ft (30 cm) tall. Leaves short: 1.5 in (4 cm) long, distributed at intervals along the culm. Spikelets congested in small heads in leaf axils. [GUM - IND] Scleria caricina (R.Br.) Benth.
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24b
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Plant with culms 1 to 2 ft (30 - 60 cm) tall. Leaves elongated. Spikelets in branched heads (panicles) .. .
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[25] |
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25a
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(24)
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Small tufted plant with culms to 1 ft (10 to 30 cm) tall. Underside of leaves with a prominant vein on either side of central vein. Inflorescence of a terminal panicle and one or two lateral panicles. [GUM - IND] |
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25b
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Tufted plant with culms to 2 ft (60 cm) in height. Base of stems clothed in long hairy sheaths. Inflorescence of a terminal panicle and two or three lateral panicles (? or more). [GUM - IND] Scleria novae-hollandiae Boeck.
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Selected synonyms for Hawaiian species included above:
Scleria phylloptera C. Wright = (S. testacea Nees)
SEDGE PHOTOS
[CLICK ON THUMBNAIL TO OPEN AN ENLARGED IMAGE]
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Fig. 38C. Infloresences of
Scleria testacea (3.7 MB).
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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
INFLORESCENCE TYPES
 INTRODUCTION
 AECOS, Inc.
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