Citation: C.B. Clarke, Kew Bull. add. ser. 8:12 (1908).

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Flat-sedge, yelka.

Description:
Perennial, mostly 50-80 cm high, producing slender rhizomes bearing ellipsoid fibrous-coated tubers which give rise to new stems; stems relatively slender, somewhat trigonous at the top, the remainder cylindrical, the base thickened (an old tuber); leaves few, narrow, much shorter than the stems; bracts at least 2 or 3, the lowest usually longer than the inflorescence and often suberect.

Umbel lax, often thrown to one side, usually simple, of few very slender rays; spikelets fairly close together but not clustered, usually 3-8 to each ray, spreading, rich-brown to pallid, linear, 2-3 cm long, c. 2 mm wide, many-flowered; rhachilla prominently winged; glumes appressed or slightly spreading, 3.5-4 mm long, in profile acute and straight on the back, keeled, not mucronate, the sides distinctly nerved; style 3-branched.

Nut narrowly obovoid, acute, long-cuneate to the wide base, 1.6-1.8 x 0.5-0.6 mm, bluntly trigonous, sides flat, dark-brown, rather dull, the circular base and long tip at the base of the style blackish, more than two-thirds the length of the glume.

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 164.

Distribution:  Generally follows inland watercourses. S.Aust.: NW, LE, GT, FR, MU.   All mainland States. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Aug. — Dec., April.

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