Scleria is a genus of flowering plants in the sedge family, Cyperaceae.

[1] They are distributed throughout the tropics, and some species have ranges extending into temperate areas.

[2][3] The genus name Scleria is Greek, meaning "hardness", in reference to the tough seeds.

The inflorescence is variable, ranging from a single spikelet to over 100.

[3] Despite the variety, examination of the fruits and subterranean structures is required to distinguish species.