Scleria pergracilis (PROSEA)
Introduction |
Scleria pergracilis (Nees) Kunth
- Protologue: Enum. pl. 2: 354 (1837).
Synonyms
Hypoporum pergracile Nees (1834).
Vernacular names
- Indonesia: sajat-sajat jelma (Batak Karo, Sumatra)
- Papua New Guinea: kamiwa (Manki)
- Philippines: bangbanglo (Bontok)
- Thailand: khaa hom (Chiang Mai)
- Vietnam: cói ba gân cứng, dưng mảnh.
Distribution
Tropical Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Indo-China, southern China, Thailand, Sumatra, the Philippines and New Guinea.
Uses
In Sumatra a decoction of the plant is used in a mixture to treat fever, and after childbirth. The leaves have an aroma similar to that of lemongrass ( Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf), and are used as a mosquito repellent.
Observations
An annual herb with very slender stems up to 50 cm tall; leaves 1.5-2 mm wide, scabrous towards the apex; inflorescence a linear, unbranched spike, spikelets in clusters of 2-5; disk obsolete, stipe-like; fruit obtusely trigonous, slightly depressed, c. 1 mm long, glabrous, tuberculate especially towards the apex. S. pergracilis occurs on open slopes, edges of swamps and savanna, up to 1500 m altitude; in Malesia it is rare.
Selected sources
121, 247, 334, 731.
Main genus page
Authors
Amor T. Karyawati