Scleria curtissii

Britton in J. K. Small

in J. K. Small, Fl. S.E. U.S., 200, 1328. 1903.

Illustrated
Synonyms: Scleria ciliata var. curtissii (Britton) J. W. Kessler Scleria pauciflora var. curtissii (Britton) Fairey
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 23. Treatment on page 250. Mentioned on page 244, 248.

Plants perennial; rhizomes nodulose, 3–4 mm thick, very short creeping. Culms ± in tufts, slender, 20–40 cm, glabrous or pilose. Leaves: sheaths reddish, not winged, weakly ribbed, pilose; contraligule obtuse to triangular, short; blades channeled, shorter than or equaling inflorescence, 1–2 mm wide, glabrous or sparsely pilose on margins and midvein abaxially. Inflorescences terminal cluster, sometimes with 1 or 2 axillary clusters, 0.4–1.5 cm × 2–8 mm; lateral clusters remote on filiform peduncles; bracts subtending inflorescence erect, short, appearing like continuation of culm, glabrous or sparsely pilose on margins and midvein abaxially. Spikelets bisexual or staminate, 2–5 mm; staminate scales lanceolate, margins scarious; pistillate scales broadly ovatelanceolate, margins scarious, midvein green, excurrent. Achenes globose or ovoid, 2–3 mm, bluntly umbonate, surface distinctly reticulate, irregularly ridged toward apex, basal papillae reduced or absent, apex bluntly mucronate; hypogynium with 6 rather confined tubercles arranged in pairs.


Phenology: Fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat: Pinelands or oak-pine woods
Elevation: 0–50 m

Distribution

V23 451-distribution-map.jpg

Fla., Ga., West Indies (Cuba)

Discussion

Scleria curtissii was reduced to a variety of S. pauciflora because of the existence in the mountains of Mexico of specimens with some features that appeared intermediate between the two species (J. E. Fairey 1969). The reticulated achenes and slender habit of this narrowly distributed entity, however, still appear striking and not especially similar to the Mexican plants. It is tentatively accorded specific rank here pending a thorough study of the systematics of those Mexican plants. The taxon has also been treated as S. ciliata var. curtissii (J. W. Kessler 1987; R. P. Wunderlin 1998).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"shortened" is not a number.

... more about "Scleria curtissii"
reticulate +, verrucose +, tuberculate +  and smooth +
umbonate;ovoid;globose +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
mucronate +
A. A. Reznicek +, John E. Fairey III +  and Alan T. Whittemore +
Britton in J. K. Small +
persistent +  and deciduous +
pilose +  and glabrous +
channeled +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
glumaceous +  and foliaceous +
2-ranked +  and arranged +
ascending +  and appressed +
terete +, rolled +  and plicate +
obtuse +  and triangular +
wiry +  and unbranched +
pilose +  and glabrous +
leaflike +, awl--shaped +  and bristle--shaped +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
pilose +  and glabrous +
trigonous +
slender +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br />) +
Fla. +, Ga. +  and West Indies (Cuba) +
0–50 m +
hypogynous +  and subtending +
biconvex +  and trigonous +
Pinelands or oak-pine woods +
prominent +  and rudimentary +
enlarged +  and slender +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
multi-ranked +, 2-ranked +, 3-ranked +  and alternate +
cauline +  and basal +
with (1-)3-6(-30) bristles and/or scales +
Fruiting summer–fall. +
2-3(-4)-carpellate +
3 (?) +  and 1 (?) +
in J. K. Small, Fl. S.E. U.S., +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
adventitious +
pistillate +  and staminate +
basal +  and proximal +
ovatelanceolate;lanceolate +
cylindric +
Illustrated +
1 +  and 100 +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
1 +  and 3 +
septate +, hollow +  and solid +
compressed +, terete +  and trigonous +
papillate +
2-3-fid +
Scleria ciliata var. curtissii +  and Scleria pauciflora var. curtissii +
Scleria curtissii +
species +
not +  and rhizomatous +