Scleria muehlenbergii Steudel. Pitted Nutrush. Phen: Jun-Sep. Hab: Open wet sand, pine savannas and flatwoods, depression meadows, cypress savannas, limesink ponds, bogs. Dist: NY (Long Island), NJ, and NC south to FL, west to TX, north in the interior to MO and IN; West Indies and Bahamas (Sorrie & LeBlond 1997); Mexico and Central America.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: Also see notes under S. reticularis. In normal specimens, the achene reticulation ridges are sharp-edged and steeply sloped (compare S. reticularis). The achene pubescence is often tawny, and achenes appearing superficially glabrous often have a tawny residue under magnification.
Other Comments: S. muehlenbergii is adapted to a variety of freshwater wetland habitats, while S. reticularis is primarily restricted to the drawdown zones of limesink (doline) ponds and clay-based Carolina bays.
Synonymy: = Ar, ETx1, FNA23, Il, K1, K3, K4, NY, Tn, Va; = Scleria muhlenbergii Steud. – F, Tx, orthographic variant; = Scleria reticularis Michx. var. pubescens Britton – G, Mo1, Fairey (1967); = Scleria setacea Poir. – S; < Scleria muhlenbergii Steud. – Pa; < Scleria reticularis Michx. – Bah, C, GW1, Mex, RAB, W, WH3
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