Common name: Brickmakers' Sedge (used in Victoria)
Gahnia grandis (Labill.) S.T.Blake APNI* Synonyms: Gahnia psittacorum Labill. APNI*
Description: Big tussock-forming perennials. Culms stout, 100–250 cm high, 2–10 mm diam.
Leaves flat, spreading, scabrous, as long as culm; ligule narrow, papery; sheaths brown, dull with some shining patches.
Inflorescence big, narrow, erect, 50–100 cm long, with 6–10 nodes. Spikelets 2-flowered. Glumes 10–17, lowest (8-)10–12 glumes much shorter and erose or 3-fid, brown to dark grey-brown, scaberulous, upper glumes with acute to obtuse apex. Stamens 4–6; anthers 2.0–3 mm long excluding apical appendage 0.4–0.7 mm long. Style 3–5-fid.
Nut narrow-ellipsoid to ellipsoid, terete, 3.0–4.5 mm long, 1.2–1.9 mm diam., smooth, isodiametrically reticulate, shining, red-brown to dark brown.
Flowering: Spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Only known in the higher Blue Mtns in NSW (also in Vic and Tas). Damp places in temp. rainforest.
NSW subdivisions: CT
Other Australian states: Vic. Tas.
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.
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