Cyperus victoriensis
C.B.ClarkeRhizomatous perennial with slender rhizomes forming woody, ovoid to ellipsoid tubers 0.5–1 cm diam., with a grey-brown fibrous coat persisting for two years. Culms mostly terete, trigonous above, smooth, 30–100 cm high, to 3 mm diam. Leaves not septate-nodulose, rarely more than one-half as long as culm, 2–4 mm wide. Inflorescence usually simple, with 3–8 primary branches to 5 cm long, frequently drooping by the weight of the spikelets, often pseudolateral; spikes ovoid, to 4 cm long, to 3 cm diam.; involucral bracts leaf-like, the lowest 3–8 ± erect and much exceeding inflorescence. Spikelets flattened, 3–10(–15) per spike, to 40-flowered, 10–40 mm long, 2–3 mm wide in side view; rachilla winged, persistent; glumes with sides 1- or 2-nerved, orange-brown to dark red-brown, 3.5–4 mm long; stamens 3; style 3-fid. Nut trigonous, narrow-obovoid, dark grey-brown to black, nearly one-half as long as glume, 1.5–1.7 mm long, c. 0.7 mm diam. Flowers spring–summer.
MuM, Wim, VRiv, RobP, MuF, Gold, NIS. All mainland states. On floodplains, billabongs and clayey banks of the Murray River downstream from about Barmah, with an isolated occurrence near Dimboola.
Often much taller and less leafy than the similar C. bifax and of much less value as a fodder plant, but useful in preventing erosion of stream banks. Spikelets fewer and often longer than in C. bifax, with mostly darker glumes and longer nuts. The inflorescence is usually pushed to one side by the erect lowest involucral bract. The culms are mostly longer and softer than in C. bifax and vary from trigonous near apex to terete below.
Wilson, K.L. (1994). Cyperaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 238–356. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
