Plants of
South Australia
Bulbostylis turbinata
Cyperaceae
Top-shape Watergrass
Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically endangered
Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
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Etymology

Bulbostylis from the Latin 'bulbus' meaning bulb and 'stylus' meaning style; alluding to the bulb-like style base. Turbinata from Latin meaning top-shaped, referring to the shape of the seed.

Distribution and status

Few records from the north and north-east parts of South Australia growing on loam, sand and clay soils along watercourses, in depressions and rockholes. Also found in Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland. Native. Rare in South Australia. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre
NRM regions: Alinytjara Wilurara, South Australian Arid Lands
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Very slender annual sedge to 15 cm high, with filiform sometimes scabrous stems and leaves. Leaf blades shorter than the stems; the sheaths usually bearded at the orifice but sparsely so. Inflorescence umbellate, with a few slender rays longer than the bracts, rarely reduced to a single spikelet. Flowering between February and April. Fruits are brown heads. Seeds are yellow or red three-sided triangular nut to 1.1 mm long and 0.9 mm wide, with fine reticulate surface.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between April and June. Collect whole heads that are brown, containing hard seeds. Place the heads in a tray and leave to dry for one to two weeks. Then rub the heads with a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate any unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. From one collection, the seed viability was high, at 100%.

Seeds stored:
  Hide
LocationNo. of seeds
(weight grams)
Number
of plants
Date
collected
Collection number
Collection location
Date
stored
% ViabilityStorage
temperature
 
MSB

6,400 (0.29 g)
158-May-2007RJB73773
North Western
95%
BGA 
MSB
8,800 (0.79 g)
8,800 (0.79 g)
17-May-2007RJB72100
North Western
1-Aug-2007100%+5°C, -18°C
Location: BGA — the seeds are stored at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, MSB — the seeds are stored at the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, England.
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.