Schoenus L.
Creators: name: Elliott, T. L.
name: Muasya, A. M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Plantae
Tracheophyta
Liliopsida
Poales
Cyperaceae
Schoenus

description: 4. Key to the species in the Epischoenus group
We recommend also consulting Table 3 and 4, as well as the Diagnosis sections under the description for each species when identifying specimens to help clarify ambiguities in characters.
1a. Leaves present and often over 30 mm long; spikelets linear; nutlets papillose at base and apex.............. 1. Schoenus dregeanus
1b. Leaves rudimentary if present (<30 mm long); spikelets ranging from linear-lanceolate to ovate; nutlets either non-papillose or shiny:
2a. Culms and leaf blades laterally compressed thus appearing flat.............................................................. 2. Schoenus complanatus
2b. Culms and leaf blades terete or angled:
3a. Culms notably 4-angled (quadrangular), especially immediately below inflorescence.............................. 3. Schoenus quadrangularis
3b. Culms terete or ridged but not notably 4-angled:
4a. Primary inflorescence bracts with lateral chartaceous extensions (i.e. auricles) that conceal at least part of the spikes:
5a. Inflorescence erect and narrow having two primary inflorescence bracts appressed to it; lateral chartaceous extensions partially to almost completely extending the length of spikes; nutlets matt............................................................... 4. Schoenus selinae
5b. Only proximal primary inflorescence bracts appressed to central axis of inflorescence, so that spikes branch laterally; lateral chartaceous extensions only covering base of spikes; nutlets shiny............................................................................ 5. Schoenus rigidus
4b. Primary inflorescence bracts without chartaceous extensions concealing part of the spikes:
6a. Culms relatively narrow (almost always ± 0.8 mm); inflorescence sparingly branched as primary inflorescence bracts are narrow and not appressed to its central axis and spikes:
7a. Plant completely or partially hairy; culms often with relatively deep ridges so appearing angular.................... 6. Schoenus crinitus
7b. Plants glabrous (or sometimes with a few hairs); culms with shallow ridges so that § terete:
8a. Receptacle of spikelet adnate to the basal (i.e. proximal) glume........................................................................ 7. Schoenus adnatus
8b. Receptacle of spikelet free from (i.e. not adnate to) the basal glume:
9a. Plants endemic to wet sites in the Western Cape Province of South Africa; spikelets linear-lanceolate and often pendulous; nutlets stipitate or sometimes seated on a disk......... 8. Schoenus gracillimus
9b. Plants endemic to drier sites (from George eastwards); spikelets lanceolate and erect on inflorescence; nutlets sessile........................................................... 9. Schoenus schonlandii
6b. Culms wider (almost always> 0.9 mm); 2 — 3 primary inflorescence bracts appressed to central axis of inflorescence and spikes:
10a. Plants endemic to the mountains of the Worcester and Ceres regions of the Western Cape Province of South Africa; inflorescence bracts relatively short (usually ± 35 mm); proximal rachis short (usually <6.0 mm) so that lower spikes congested and overlapping.................................................... 10. Schoenus lucidus
10b. Plants endemic to the Riviersonderend area in the east to the Cape Peninsula in the west; inflorescence bracts relatively long (usually Ŀ 35 mm); proximal rachis longer (usually> 7.0 mm) so that lower spikes mostly separated and only partially overlapping............................................................. 11. Schoenus neovillosus
description: Published as part of Elliott, T. L. & Muasya, A. M., 2020, A taxonomic revision of the Epischoenus group of Schoenus (Cyperaceae, tribe Schoeneae), pp. 296-316 in South African Journal of Botany 135 on page 299, DOI: 10.1016/j.sajb.2020.08.029, http://zenodo.org/record/10496806