Scleria pauciflora Muhlenberg ex Willdenow var. caroliniana Alph. Wood. Carolina Nutrush. Phen: Jun-Sep. Hab: Pine savannas. Dist: NH west to MI, south to n. FL, TN, and MO.

ID notes:Both varieties of Scleria pauciflora grow from tough, knotty, horizontal rhizomes, the stems 2.5-6 dm feet tall. Inflorescences usually are tinged a cinnamon color, sometimes strongly so (vs. green or slightly cinnamon in S. ciliata and S. elliottii. The base of the achene has 6 tubercles (vs. 3 in the just-named species). From var. pauciflora, var. caroliniana is told by dense short hairs on stems, leaves, and bracts (vs. glabrous or sparsely hairy).

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy: = Ar, F, FNA23, G, GrPl, Il, K1, K3, K4, NE, Tn, Va, Fairey (1967), LeBlond, Tessel, & Poindexter (2015); < Scleria ciliata Michx. – WH3; < Scleria pauciflora Muhl. ex Willd. – C, GW1, Mo1, NY, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tat, W

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC (taxonomic lump from wetland indicator species)
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC (taxonomic lump from wetland indicator species)
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic lump from wetland indicator species)
• Great Plains: FAC (taxonomic lump from wetland indicator species)
• Great Plains: FACW (taxonomic lump from wetland indicator species)
• Midwest: FAC (taxonomic lump from wetland indicator species)
• Midwest: FACU (taxonomic lump from wetland indicator species)
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily: 8