Common name: Slender Flat-sedge
Cyperus gracilis R.Br. APNI* 
Description: Small, densely tufted perennial, often proliferating.
Culms trigonous, smooth, 10–40 cm long, c. 0.5 mm diam.
Leaves not septate-nodulose, shorter than culms, usually filiform, rarely > 1 mm wide. Inflorescence a digitate cluster to 30 mm diam. of 2–7 spikelets, without branches; involucral bracts leaf-like, 2–4 longer than inflorescence. Spikelets flattened, 5–20 mm long, c. 2 mm wide in side view, 8–20-flowered; rachilla not winged, persistent. Glumes short-acuminate, excurved, with sides 3- or 4-nerved, 2–2.5 mm long, green to pale brown, occasionally tinged yellow. Stamens 3. Style 3-fid.
Nut trigonous, broad-obovoid to obcordate, about three-quarters as long as glume, c. 1.2 mm long, c. 0.8 mm diam., dark brown to black.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in open woodland and grassland, in drier situations than many of the related species; north from near Nowra and Wombeyan Caves, west to near Lightning Ridge, only near Nymagee on SWP.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, NWS, CWS, NWP, SWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic.
Text by K. L. Wilson
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
|
