Common name: Black-fruit Saw-sedge
Gahnia melanocarpa R.Br. APNI* 
Description: Tufted perennial. Culms stout, 80–120 cm high, 4–5 mm diam.
Leaves flat, spreading, scabrous at least on margins, longer than inflorescence; ligule narrow, papery; sheaths dull pinkish to red-brown, dull.
Inflorescence long, narrow, erect to ascending, 30–45 cm long, with 7–10 nodes. Spikelets 1-flowered. Glumes 4 or 5, uppermost 2 glumes much shorter and broader with acute to mucronate upper margin, red-brown, glabrous, lower glumes with long-mucronate apex. Stamens 3 or 4; anthers 0.7–1.1 mm long excluding apical appendage 0.2–0.3 mm long. Style 3-fid.
Nut ovoid to obovoid, obscurely trigonous, 2.5–3.5 mm long, 1.5–2.0 mm diam., isodiametrically reticulate to granulate, shining to glistening, dark brown to black.
Flowering: Spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Widespread on coast, scattered on tablelands. Grows in wet sclerophyll forest and rainforest.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST
Other Australian states: Qld Vic.
Text by K. L. Wilson (1993); edited KL Wilson (Feb 2012)
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.
|
