Bearded Flat-sedge
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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
Display IBRA region text
Olary Spur (FLB03) | Flinders Lofty Block | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) (Probable Decline) |
Northern Flinders (FLB05) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) |
Murray Mallee (MDD02) | Murray Darling Depression | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) [could be extinct; outlier] |
Murray Scroll Belt (RIV06) | Riverina | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) [arid spp] |
Arcoona Plateau (GAW04) | Gawler | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) |
Kingoonya (GAW05) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) |
Torrens (GAW06) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) |
Roxby (GAW07) | | Least Concern |
Commonwealth Hill (GAW08) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [edge of range] |
Kintore (GVD04) | Great Victoria Desert | Near Threatened |
Tallaringa (GVD05) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) [edge of range] |
Barrier Range (BHC01) | Broken Hill Complex | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) (Probable Decline) |
Simpson Desert (SSD02) | Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields | Near Threatened |
Warriner (SSD04) | | Least Concern |
Strzelecki Desert (SSD05) | | Least Concern |
Breakaways (STP01) | Stony Plains | Near Threatened |
Oodnadatta (STP02) | | Least Concern |
Murnpeowie (STP03) | | Least Concern |
Peake-Dennison Inlier (STP04) | | Near Threatened |
Macumba (STP05) | | Least Concern |
Witjira (STP06) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) |
Baltana (STP07) | | Least Concern |
Sturt Stony Desert (CHC02) | Channel Country | Least Concern |
Coongie (CHC06) | | Least Concern |
Lake Pure (CHC07) | | Least Concern |
Mann-Musgrave Block (CER01) | Central Ranges | Near Threatened |
Watarru (CER02) | | Near Threatened |
Tieyon (FIN03) | Finke | Near Threatened |
Pedirka (FIN04) | | Near Threatened |
2 of 6 subregions | Flinders Lofty Block | Rare |
Murray Mallee (MDD02) | Murray Darling Depression | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) [could be extinct; outlier] |
Murray Scroll Belt (RIV06) | Riverina | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) [arid spp] |
5 of 8 subregions | Gawler | Least Concern , Rare |
2 of 4 subregions | Great Victoria Desert | Near Threatened , Rare |
Barrier Range (BHC01) | Broken Hill Complex | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) (Probable Decline) |
3 of 4 subregions | Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields | Least Concern , Near Threatened |
7 of 7 subregions | Stony Plains | Least Concern , Near Threatened , Rare |
3 of 4 subregions | Channel Country | Least Concern |
2 of 3 subregions | Central Ranges | Near Threatened |
2 of 2 subregions | Finke | Near Threatened |
Botanical art
Kath Alcock paintings: 2
Prior names
Cyperus aristatus
Etymology
Cyperus from the Latin 'cyperos', derived from the Greek 'kypeiros', an ancient Greek name used by Homer and Theophrastus for several plants of this genus. Squarrosus from the Latin 'squarrosus' meaning having scales or scale-like overlapping leaves or bracts.
Distribution and status
Found in northern South Australia growing in ephemerally wet situations, commonly on sand or alluvium but is also found in relatively dry habitats. Also found in Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. Past records in Victoria but now 'presumed extinct'. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other States. Presumed extinct in Victoria.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Murray
NRM regions: Alinytjara Wilurara, Northern and Yorke, South Australian Arid Lands, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Dwarf tufted annual sedge to 15 cm high, with a strong curry odour when dried. Leaves up to or as long as the stems, to 2 mm wide. Flower-spike a simple umbel. Spikelets usually in dense ovate or oblong-ovate spikes, usually brightly coloured in various shades of brown or yellow. Flowering bewteen March and July. Fruits are flat, orange-brown fruit-head in dense clusters. Seeds are black ovoid seed to 1 mm long and 0.3 mm wide, with fine tubercules and covered with a thin shiny transparent layer. Seed embryo type is capitate.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between March and September. Collect fruits either by picking off the mature heads, those turning an orange-brown colour and come-off easily or pull out the whole plant. 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. Be careful, as the seeds are very small. Seeds are black, ovoid and hard. 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%.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature | BGA | 400,000 (10.03 g) | 200+ | 11-Mar-2007 | RJB70922 Gairdner-Torrens | 19-Sep-2008 | 100% | -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.