Gahnia sieberiana
Kunth Red-fruit Saw-sedgeTall, tussock-forming perennial. Culms 1–2.5 m high, 5–50 mm diam. Leaf-blades flat, recurved, scabrous, about as long as culm; ligules narrow, chartaceous; sheaths brown to black, dull. Inflorescence erect or somewhat spreading, 30–100 cm long, with 12–30 nodes. Spikelets 2-flowered; glumes 5–8, brown to black, glabrous or scaberulous, with acute to mucronate apex, the uppermost 1 or 2 much shorter than lower; stamens 3 or 4; anthers 2.3–3 mm long excluding apical appendage 0.3–0.5 mm long. Nut ovoid to ellipsoid, trigonous or obtusely 4-angled, smooth and reticulate or granulate, shining, 2.5–4.0 mm long, 1.5–2.0 mm diam., red to orange. Flowers spring–summer.
GleP, Brid, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, HFE, VAlp. Also SA, Qld, NSW, Tas. New Guinea, New Caledonia. Occurs in a wide variety of damp to wet sites from heathlands near sea-level to wet mountain forests, usually on sandy or silty alluvial soils.
A variable and widespread species that may include more than one taxon.
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.
Spinning
