Scleria laxa
Content
Description
Annual.
Leaves narrowly linear, rather abruptly narrowed to the obtusish tip, glabrous, smooth or scabrid on the margins and the main nerves near the apex, 1-3 mm wide;
Inflorescence occupying by far the greater part of the stem, narrow, very loose, consisting of about 3 very remote fascicles of partial panicles, the terminal panicle not larger than the lateral ones, 1-2 cm long;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Philippines (Philippines present), Australasia: Queensland (Queensland present), Kurik near Merauke present, Luzon present, S. New Guinea present, Thursday I. in Torres Strait present
Queensland; in Malesia: Thursday I. in Torres Strait, S. New Guinea (Kurik near Merauke), Philippines (Luzon).
Notes
Closely related to S. thwaitesiana, from which it can be distinguished by the weaker stems and leaves, the much longer, nodding peduncles of the lateral panicles, the number of panicles arising from each node (3-4 in S. laxa, 1-2 in S. thwaitesiana), and the strongly ribbed or scrobicu- late, apiculate nut.