Citation: S.T. Blake, Contrib. Qld Herb. 8:30 (1969).

Synonymy: Lepidosperma tetragonum Labill., Nov. Holl. Pl. Sp. 1:17 (1805); Cladium tetragonum (Labill.) J. Black, Fl. S. Aust. 95 (1922); Machaerina tetragona (Labill.) Koyama, Bot. Mag., Tokyo 69:66 (1956); Cladium tetraquetrum Hook. f., Fl. Tasm. 2:95 (1858).

Common name: Square twig-rush.

Description:
Stems rather slender, 30-120 cm long, mostly 1.5-2 mm wide, prominently 4-angled in the upper part, often compressed or subterete in the lower part; leaves all basal, much wider, acutely 4-angled, sometimes as long as the stem, the tip very acute, the inner ones often reduced to the sheath, lowest bract reduced to its sheath, the upper ones gradually glume-like.

Particle 5-10 cm long, more or less oblong to lanceolate, rather dense but interrupted towards the base, with clusters of erect branches, spikelets reddish-brown, close together, 3.5-4 mm long, l-flowered; glumes acute, more or less distinctly ciliate.

Nut ovoid, c. 2 x 1 mm, dull, brown, indistinctly 3-ribbed, but irregularly rugose, the lower part finely puncrate, the tip acute or acuminate by reason of the small pyramidal glabrous often yellowish-brown style base, the upper part irregularly rugose, the lower part finely puncrate, c. 2 mm long.

Distribution:    All States except W.Aust. and the N.T. Conservation status: native Flowering time: throughout the year.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available