After Boeckeler's treatise on the species of Scleria known in his day (5), no comprehensive study on the genus has ever been published. The preparation of an up-to-date monograph would be an arduous task, not only owing to the large size of the genus, but also to the numerous problems encountered in its delimitation and its subdivision. Fortunately several very valuable studies on the Scleriae of America and Africa have been published lately, which are important precursors to a future monographic treatment. Core (14) revised the American species, Chermezon (8, 9) those of Madagascar, Piérart (24) published a study on the species of Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi, and Nelmes (22, 23) gave an account of the genus for the whole of Africa. The history of Scleria has been given by Core and need therefore not be repeated here. I may, however, venture some general remarks on the morphology of the inflorescence, as my views differ in several respects from the current ones. In this connection also the circumscription and subdivision of the genus will be discussed.