Plants of
South Australia
Lomandra collina
Asparagaceae
Sharp-leaf Mat-rush,
Sand Mat-rush
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Hawker
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Keith
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 11

Prior names

Xerotes collina

Lomandra glauca ssp. collina

Common names

Sharp-leaf Mat-rush

Sand Mat-rush

Etymology

Lomandra from the Greek 'loma,' meaning edge, border or fringe and 'andros', meaning a male, alluding to the circular margin of the anthers in some species. Collina from the Latin 'collinus', meaning dwelling on hills, alluding to the species' preferred sand (hill) habitat.

Distribution and status

Found in the southern part of South Australia from the Nullarbor to the lower South-east, growing in mallee communities on red sandy soils. Also found in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: Nullarbor, Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Perennial herb with short stems forming dense tussocks or mats. Basal sheaths becoming fibrous. Leaves to 50 cm long and 2 mm wide; filiform, scabrous. Male inflorescence much shorter than leaves, scape exposed for up to 5 cm, rachis usually well branched, to 10 cm long. Female inflorescence to 10 mm diameter; scape usually exposed for up to 3 cm. Flowers yellow, between August and November. Fruits are pyramid-shaped capsule. Seed embryo type is linear, underdeveloped.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between November and January. Collect mature fruits, turning brown with a hard seed inside, or when they are starting to split. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for one to two weeks. Then rub the capsules gently by hand to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the 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. This species has morpho-physiological dormancy and can take several weeks to germinate.

We acknowledge the contributions of the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre, the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, and the Department for Environment and Water.