Scleria ciliata
| Scleria ciliata | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Cyperaceae |
| Genus: | Scleria |
| Species: | S. ciliata
|
| Binomial name | |
| Scleria ciliata Michx.
| |
Scleria ciliata, commonly known as fringed nutrush or hairy nutrush, is a species of perennial grass found in North, Central, and South America.[1][2] There are two varieties of S. ciliata: Scleria pauciflora Muhl. ex Willd. var. curtissii (Britton) Fairey and Scleria brittonii Core ex Small.[3]
Description
Scleria ciliata reaches a height between 20 and 70 cm (8 and 28 in). Culms are erect, and can occur in tufts. They may be either glabrous or hairy. Leaves come from purplish sheaths, with linear blades ranging in width from 1 to 7 mm (0.04 to 0.28 in).[4]
Inflorescence is terminal and axillary, with clusters ranging from few to many-clustered with a width of 5 to 10 mm (0.2 to 0.4 in).[4] Blooms occur from May to August.[5] S. ciliata produces achenes that are white to brown in color.[5]
Distribution and habitat
Within North America, S. ciliata can be found in the southeastern region of the United States, its range stretching from Virginia south to Florida and westward to Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri.[6]
S. ciliata occurs in wet to dry soils, in habitats such as in pinelands and thickets.[4][1]
References
- ^ a b "Scleria ciliata (Hairy Nutrush) - FSUS". fsus.ncbg.unc.edu. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
- ^ Weakley, Alan S. (2015). Flora of the southern and mid-Atlantic states. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- ^ Weakley, Alan S. (2022). Flora of the Southeastern United States. North Carolina Botanical Garden.
- ^ a b c "Scleria ciliata". Flora of North America. 23: 244–248.
- ^ a b "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
- ^ "USDA Plants Database". plants.usda.gov. Retrieved 2025-10-20.