Citation: J. Black, Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 58:169 (1934).

Synonymy: Chaetospora capillaris F. Muell., Fragm. Phyt. Aust. 9:34 (1875); Elynanthus capillaceus Benth., Fl. Aust. 7:377 (1878); Cladium capillaceum (Benth.) C.B. Clarke in Cheeseman, Man. N.Z. Fl. 789 (1906); Machaerina capillacea (Benth.)Koyama, Bot. Mag., Tokyo 69:63 (1956); Heleocharis halmaturina J. Black, Trans. R.Soc. S. Aust. 51:378 (1927); T. halmaturina (J. Black)J. Black, Fl. S. Aust. 153 (1943); Chaetospora capillacea sensu Hook. f., Fl. Tasm. 2:81 (1858), non Nees. , Lepidosperma tortuosum

Common name: Hair sedge.

Description:
Rhizome creeping, slender; stems almost capillary, 20-40 cm long; leaves all basal, almost reduced to their sheaths, the blades very fine, less than 5 mm long, ciliate; bracts inconspicuous, shorter than the spikelets.

Spikelets very few in a short panicle or raceme, mostly prominently pedicellate, narrow-lanceolate or the glumes spreading at maturity, 3.5-5 mm long, 2-flowered with the lower flower barren or sometimes 1-flowered; glumes spiral but almost distichous, the upper ones shortly ciliate on the margins, the others glabrous, all smooth; stamens 3; style 3-fid, prominently swollen at the base but continuous with the ovary and nut; hypogynous bristles barbellate or 0.

Nut ellipsoid or somewhat obovoid, constricted below the style base, turgid, obscurely trigonous by longitudinal ribs, white-green shaded dark, smooth and together with the style base 3-4 mm long and 1-1.2 mm wide; style base persistent, stout, conical, brown, scabrous, about as long as the nut.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: EP, YP, SL, KI, SE.   All States except the N.T.   New Zealand. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Oct. — Feb.

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