| Scleria | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scleria testacea | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Cyperaceae |
| Genus: | Scleria P.J.Bergius |
| Diversity | |
| About 200 species | |
Scleria is a genus of flowering plants in the sedge family, Cyperaceae. They are known commonly as nutrushes. They are distributed throughout the tropics, and some species have ranges extending into temperate areas. There are about 200 species.
Etymology
The genus name Scleria is Greek, meaning "hardness", in reference to the tough seeds.
Description
Plants of this genus are diverse in appearance. These are mostly perennial, but sometimes annual. Some have rhizomes. They produce solitary stems or clumps of many. They are a few centimeters tall to well over one meter. They have few leaves or many. The inflorescence is variable, ranging from a single spikelet to over 100. Despite the variety, examination of the fruits and subterranean structures is required to distinguish species.
References
- Scleria. Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- ^ Scleria. Flora of China.
- ^ Scleria. Flora of North America.
- Merrit Lyndon Fernald (1970). R. C. Rollins (ed.). Gray's Manual of Botany (Eighth (Centennial) - Illustrated ed.). D. Van Nostrand Company. p. 290. ISBN 0-442-22250-5.
External links
- Camelbeke, K. and P. Goetghebeur. (2002). The genus Scleria (Cyperaceae) in Colombia. An updated checklist. Caldasia 24(2), 259–68.
| Taxon identifiers | |
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| Scleria |
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