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Lomandra longifolia Labill.
Family Asparagaceae
Common name: spiny-headed mat-rush, honey reed

Lomandra longifolia Labill. APNI*

Synonyms: Lomandra longifolia subsp. exilis A.T.Lee APNI*
Scleropodium purum (Hedw.) Limpr. APNI*
Lomandra longifolia Labill. var. longifolia APNI*

Description: Tufted perennial herb.

Leaves flat or slightly concavo-convex, occasionally rolled, usually 50–100 cm long, 5–7.5 mm wide, (sometimes c. 2 mm wide) glabrous; apex 2- or 3-toothed, central tooth in pronounced sinus or longer than laterals; sheath margins intact or coarsely split, brown, orange-brown or reddish brown, occasionally white.

Male and female inflorescences similar, simple or branched; all branches or when many the larger branches often 2 per node, distichous, from less than 8 c. up to 15 cm long; scape distinct, much shorter to much longer than rachis, flattened; flower clusters whorled. Cluster bracts conspicuous, longer to much longer than flowers, pungent; bract and inner bract shorter than flower, truncate, whitish. Flowers ellipsoidal or cylindrical, sessile; male flowers 3–3.5 mm long, females c. 4.5 mm long. Outer tepals shiny, scarious, purplish or yellow; inner tepals dull, fleshy, yellow or cream.


Illustration

Flower
Photo J. Plaza

Herbarium
Sheet

Flowering: spring.

Distribution and occurrence: Grows in a variety of habitats; west to Bobadah.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS, NWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. S.A.
AVH map***

A variable species which, in parts of N.S.W. and S Qld, is not clearly distinct from L. confertifolia subsp. pallida. Other taxa closely related and in some cases difficult to distinguish from L. longifolia include L. hystrix, L. fluviatilis, L. spicata and L. montana.

Lomandra is sometimes placed in the family Asparagaceae.

Text by A.L. Quirico
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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