Scleria foliosa Hochst. ex A. Rich.

15. Scleria foliosa Hochst. ex A. Rich. View in CoL

Scleria foliosa Hochst.ex A.Rich.(1850) 509. — Type: Schimper 1232 ( lectotype designated here: BM000758637), Ethiopia, Afar, 18 Sept. 1838.

Scleria foliosa var. major Oliv. (1875) 169. — Type: not located.

Scleria complanata Boeckeler (1879) View in CoL 571. — Type: Schweinfurth 2389 ( lectotype designated here: P00465984; isolectotype B†), Central African Republic, Lande der Djur, grosse Seriba-Ghattas, 17 Sept. 1869.

Scleria dumicola Ridl. (1884a) View in CoL 169. — Type: Welwitsch 7122 ( lectotype designated here: LISU222796; isolectotype LISU222797), Angola, Pungo Andongo , Jan. 1857.

Scleria perrieri Cherm.(1923) 297. — Type: Perrier de la Bâthie 12704 ( lectotype designated here: P00346037, isolectotypes P00346038,P00346039), Madagascar, near Onilahi River (Benenitsa), July 1919.

Annuals with a poorly developed root system. Culm 0.35–0.8 m by 2–3 mm. Leaves 15–30 cm by 3–4 mm, glabrous, antrorse hairs on the central veins of the distal part, margin scabrid, three conspicuous central nerves, pleated when dried; contraligule rounded, glabrous, margin entire, surface slightly ciliate towards the mouth. Inflorescence of terminal and lateral truncated panicles ( Fig. 1f View Fig ), two per node; leafy bracts present, much longer than the inflorescence on the basal panicles, at least as long on the terminal; laterals with a peduncle of 3–15 cm long, longer towards the base. Spikelets unisexual or subandrogynous; glumes straw-coloured with green midrib, male 4.5–5 mm long, females 5 by 2.5–3 mm. Nutlet ovoid, 3.5 by 2.5 mm, reticulated but smooth towards the distal third, white; hypogynium cream-coloured, loosely attached to the nutlet, trilobed, lobes rounded to orbicular.

Distribution — Tropical and southern Africa, Madagascar.

Habitat & Ecology — In Madagascar, it is found in open forest and grasslands, alt. 500–1300 m.

Conservation — Least Concern ( Mani 2011).

Additional specimens. MADAGASCAR, Antananarivo, Mar.1960, J.M. Bosser 13623 ( TAN) ; ibid ., Feb.1961, J M. Bosser 14870 ( TAN) ; Fianarantsoa, Apr. 1960, J.M. Bosser 14115 (P01707650,P01707651,P01707652,P01707653, TAN) ; Mahajanga, Betainkankana,Ankaizina, Mar. 1952, J.M. Bosser 2771 (P01707649); Toamasina , Apr.1962, J.M. Bosser 15912 (P01707648, TAN) ; Toliara, Analavelona Forest , 950–1250 m , Mar.1934, H. Humbert 14233 (K, TAN) .

Note — Chermezon (1937) distinguished the only Malagas- can specimen of S. foliosa included in his revision as S. perrieri , based on the faded reticulation of the nutlet and its attached hypogynium. However, the rest of characters are identical to S. foliosa . Used as fodder in Sudan ( Simpson & Inglis 2001) and as a treatment for gonorrhoea in Tanzania ( Burkill 1985).