Family: Cyperaceae
Cyperus vaginatus
Citation:
R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 213 (1810).
Synonymy: Not Applicable Common name: Flat-sedge.
Description:
Densely tufted perennial, with a short thick horizontal rhizome; stems 30-150 cm long, slender, erect, oblique or somewhat nodding, cylindrical, smooth, faintly striate; leaves reduced to membranous sheaths; bracts several, mostly 5-8, subequal, flat, 2-6 mm wide, acute, rigid, at least 5 cm and to 15 cm long, longer (usually at least twice) than the inflorescence.
Umbel simple or compound, rather dense or reduced to a compound head, the rays when present usually short, spikelets in digitate clusters, reddish-brown, chestnut, or pale-brown, 8-40-flowered, linear or oblong-linear, acute, 8-18 mm long, 2-2.75 mm wide; rhachilla not winged; glumes tightly packed, with slightly spreading tips, acute in profile, 3-nerved on the back, sides nerveless, shining, c. 2 mm long; style 3-branched.
Nut ellipsoid or somewhat oblong, acute, cuneate to the narrow base, 0.8-1.2 x 0.5-0.6 mm, trigonous with narrow fibbed angles and convex sides, shiny, light- to dark-brown, base and tip blackish, rather less than half the length of the glume.
Distribution:
|
Usually grows near creeks.
S.Aust.: NW, GT, FR, EP, NL, MU, SL, KI. All mainland States.
|
Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: throughout the year except June — July.
|
SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
|
Biology:
Resembles C. gymnocaulos.
Author:
Not yet available
|