Scleria melanomphala Kunth

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (6)

Scleria melanomphala

Shiwa Ngandu
Record: EA Robinson
Jun 1956
Photocopy: Mike Bingham

Scleria melanomphala

Mutinondo Wilderness Area
Apr 2013
Photo: Lari Merret

Scleria melanomphala

Mutinondo Wilderness Area
Apr 2013
Photo: Lari Merret

Scleria melanomphala

Mutinondo Wilderness Area
Apr 2013
Photo: Lari Merret

Scleria melanomphala

Mutinondo Wilderness Area
Jan 2013
Photo: Lari Merret

Scleria melanomphala

Mutinondo Wilderness Area
Jan 2013
Photo: Lari Merret

Specimen citations: Display citations Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency: Widespread
Status: Native
Description:
Robust tussock forming perennial 0.6-2.4 m tall, from a thick rhizome 4-6 mm wide, with very short internodes; stems glabrous but minutely to strongly scabrid on the angles. Leaves evenly spaced along culms, with margins smooth. Inflorescences of 1 terminal and 5-9 lateral often drooping lanceolate panicles 2-10 cm long., 1-3 cm wide, borne singly or 2-3 at the nodes on pendulous peduncles exerted up to 30 cm from the sheaths. Nutlets white and shiny, usually with a blue-black apex, ovoid 3.7-4(-5) mm long.
Type location:
South Africa
Notes: Zambian distribution:"Frequent in the wetter areas of Zambia being apparently absent only from the Southern and Eastern Provinces . ."
Derivation of specific name: melanomphala: dark navel, presumable referring to the dark apex of the seed.
Habitat: Marshy grassland
Altitude range: 100 - 1750 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Zambia; tropical Africa to Angola and South Africa, Madagascar, South America
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): B,N,W,C
Zambian distribution (Provinces): Nw,Lp,N,Mc,Lk,W
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated: Tuesday 4 July 2017
Literature:

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 303.

Gordon-Gray, K.D. (1995). Cyperaceae in Natal Strelitzia 2 Page 184.

Hoenselaar, K., Verdcourt, B. & Beentje, H.J. (2010). Cyperaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 411 - 412.

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 89.

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 121.

Other sources of information about Scleria melanomphala:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Scleria melanomphala
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Scleria melanomphala
Flora of Malawi: Scleria melanomphala
Flora of Mozambique: Scleria melanomphala
Flora of Zimbabwe: Scleria melanomphala

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Scleria melanomphala
African Plant Database: Scleria melanomphala
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Scleria melanomphala
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Scleria melanomphala
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Scleria melanomphala
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Scleria melanomphala
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Scleria melanomphala
JSTOR Plant Science: Scleria melanomphala
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Scleria melanomphala
Plants of the World Online: Scleria melanomphala
Tropicos: Scleria melanomphala
Wikipedia: Scleria melanomphala


Copyright: Mike Bingham, Annette Willemen, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Mark Hyde, 2011-24

Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2024). Flora of Zambia: Species information: Scleria melanomphala.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=111680, retrieved 29 March 2024

Site software last modified: 10 May 2018 10:51pm
Terms of use