Machaerina arthrophylla (Nees) T.Koyama APNI* Synonyms: Machaerina huttonii (Kirk) T.Koyama APNI*
Baumea arthrophylla (Nees) Boeckeler APNI*
Baumea huttonii (Kirk) S.T.Blake APNI*
Description: Perennial with long rhizome.
Culms rigid, terete or compressed, 1-noded, striate, glabrous, smooth, 30–100 cm high, 0.8–2.5 (rarely to 5) mm diam. Leaves basal and cauline; basal blade terete, more or less transversely septate (not obvious externally when fresh), to 1.5 rarely to 8 mm diam., shorter than culms, cauline much reduced; sheath reddish or straw-coloured, dull.
Inflorescence interrupted-oblong in outline, narrow, erect, 8–55 cm long, 1.5–3 cm diam.; lowest involucral bract much shorter than inflorescence. Spikelets ± numerous, 2–4-flowered, 3.5–5.5 mm long. Glumes 4 or 5, acute, with excurved mucro, mid to dark red-brown, with margins ciliate; fertile glumes 3.0–4.5 mm long. Anthers 1.1–1.8 mm long, excluding appendage 0.2–0.5 mm long.
Nut ellipsoid to ovoid, 2.0–2.5 mm long, 1.0–1.3 mm diam., smooth with underlying reticulations, white-hispid at apex, ± shining, straw-coloured to whitish.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Sporadic as far south as Ulladulla region. Grows in swamps.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. W.A. S.A. N.T.
Often confused with M. rubiginosa but the nuts differ. Also, M. rubiginosa has the leaves flattened at least near the apex, the involucral bracts are usually flattened near the apex too, while the spikelets are more densely clustered in that species.
Text by K. L. Wilson (1993); edited KL Wilson (Nov 2012; May 2019; Feb 2023)
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993) as Baumea arthrophylla
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.
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