SEM micrographs .—Scleria pantadenia ( S. Bidgood et al. 5550 (MO)) .— A. Nutlet.—B. Detail of nutlet surface.—C. Detail 

... mm long, 1.1 mm wide, male, mucro 0.2-0.5 mm long; higher glumes 3-5, spirally arranged, ca. 1.7 x 0.3 mm, all male; male glumes all bearing 2 stamens. Flowers unisexual; style trifid, dark brown coloured, ca. 2.5 mm of which branches ca. 0.9 mm; stamens 2, filaments ca. 1.5 mm, anthers ca. 0.8 mm. Nutlet 0.8-1.1 mm long and 0.7-0.9 mm broad (Fig. 3a), wide elliptic to almost globose, surface tuberculate (Fig. 3B); apex truncate, short and base trigonous; tubercules gland-like ca. 0.095 mm in diameter; with a small rim of tuberculate swollen cells at the base (Fig. 3C); hypogynium absent; in dried condition white to whitish-grey, often with three longitudinal darker bands, between ...

... 3-5, spirally arranged, ca. 1.7 x 0.3 mm, all male; male glumes all bearing 2 stamens. Flowers unisexual; style trifid, dark brown coloured, ca. 2.5 mm of which branches ca. 0.9 mm; stamens 2, filaments ca. 1.5 mm, anthers ca. 0.8 mm. Nutlet 0.8-1.1 mm long and 0.7-0.9 mm broad (Fig. 3a), wide elliptic to almost globose, surface tuberculate (Fig. 3B); apex truncate, short and base trigonous; tubercules gland-like ca. 0.095 mm in diameter; with a small rim of tuberculate swollen cells at the base (Fig. 3C); hypogynium absent; in dried condition white to whitish-grey, often with three longitudinal darker bands, between paler, raised ribs. distribution and ecology:-Known only from the ...

... of which branches ca. 0.9 mm; stamens 2, filaments ca. 1.5 mm, anthers ca. 0.8 mm. Nutlet 0.8-1.1 mm long and 0.7-0.9 mm broad (Fig. 3a), wide elliptic to almost globose, surface tuberculate (Fig. 3B); apex truncate, short and base trigonous; tubercules gland-like ca. 0.095 mm in diameter; with a small rim of tuberculate swollen cells at the base (Fig. 3C); hypogynium absent; in dried condition white to whitish-grey, often with three longitudinal darker bands, between paler, raised ribs. distribution and ecology:-Known only from the uzondo Plateau in Mpanda district in West Central tanzania. annual growing in small wet shady ledges and seepage areas on large rocky sandstone outcrops, at ...

... 1.5-1.0 mm long, 1.0-1.2 mm broad (Fig. 3e), ovoid to globose, surface pitted, apex short and base trigonous with small yellow-brown rim; in dried material white-greyish to pink-reddish and almost black; with three protruding, dentate ridges of yellow-transparent tissue. Br = spikelet bract; g = glume; p = prophyll; x = represents two stamens.t distribution and ecology:-Sikonge ...

... its leaves do not appear delicate and brittle. also, while in S. pantadenia the inflorescence is always branched, this is not the case in S. pergracilis, which is rarely branched and then only very shortly near the base of the inflorescence. In general, the nutlet of S. pergracilis is larger (1.3-1.8 x 1.2-1.5 mm) and trabeculate to tuberculate (Fig. 3d). Moreover, the tubercles on the surface are not gland-like as in S. pantadenia (Fig. 3a, B), and tuberculate swollen cells are absent at the base of the nutlet. also, Scleria pulchella superficially resembles S. pantadenia. this species is generally smaller than S. pergracilis but apart from its size it is similar in most characters, ...

... is always branched, this is not the case in S. pergracilis, which is rarely branched and then only very shortly near the base of the inflorescence. In general, the nutlet of S. pergracilis is larger (1.3-1.8 x 1.2-1.5 mm) and trabeculate to tuberculate (Fig. 3d). Moreover, the tubercles on the surface are not gland-like as in S. pantadenia (Fig. 3a, B), and tuberculate swollen cells are absent at the base of the nutlet. also, Scleria pulchella superficially resembles S. pantadenia. this species is generally smaller than S. pergracilis but apart from its size it is similar in most characters, thus differing from S. pantadenia in the same way as S. pergracilis. a comparison of these ...

... tricristata is remarkable in having protruding dentate ridges of yellowish translucent tissue on the ribs of the nutlets (Fig. 3e). this translucent tissue is also found in other species but never so pronounced as in S. tricristata. When identifying the specimens of this species using the most important published literature for the region (e.g., Nelmes 1955;robinson 1966;haines & lye 1983;hoenselaar et al. 2010), it is always identified as Scleria delicatula. Both ...

... 1955;robinson 1966;haines & lye 1983;hoenselaar et al. 2010), it is always identified as Scleria delicatula. Both are tufted annual herbs, with S. delicatula slightly smaller in all its parts. the diagnostic differences are found in the nutlets. While S. delicatula has oblong-ellipsoid to broadly ovoid nutlets with a muricate-trabeculate surface (Fig. 3F), S. tricristata has broadly ovoid to almost globose nutlets with a pitted surface. Scleria delicatula also has the raised, translucent tissue, however, in this species it is not dentate and does not protrude as much, and is in general less conspicuous than in S. tricristata. Both species do share nutlet colour going from pink to dark ...