Desert Mat-rush
Display all 7 images
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
Bridgewater (NCP01) | Naracoorte Coastal Plain | Near Threatened |
Glenelg Plain (NCP02) | | Near Threatened |
Lucindale (NCP03) | | Least Concern |
Tintinara (NCP04) | | Least Concern |
Kangaroo Island (KAN01) | Kanmantoo | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) [only 1 pop near Flinders Chase; mallee sp; disjunct pop] |
Fleurieu (KAN02) | | Near Threatened [likes deep sands, undercollected, lack of regeneration] |
Mount Lofty Ranges (FLB01) | Flinders Lofty Block | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) (Probable Decline) [limited habitat] |
St Vincent (EYB02) | Eyre Yorke Block | Regionally Extinct |
Eyre Hills (EYB03) | | Near Threatened [rainfall sensitive] |
Talia (EYB04) | | Near Threatened [rainfall sensitive] |
Eyre Mallee (EYB05) | | Least Concern [rainfall sensitive] |
Murray Mallee (MDD02) | Murray Darling Depression | Least Concern |
Murray Lakes and Coorong (MDD03) | | Near Threatened |
Lowan Mallee (MDD04) | | Least Concern |
Wimmera (MDD05) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) |
Myall Plains (GAW01) | Gawler | Near Threatened [rainfall sensitive] |
4 of 4 subregions | Naracoorte Coastal Plain | Least Concern , Near Threatened |
2 of 2 subregions | Kanmantoo | Near Threatened , Vulnerable |
Mount Lofty Ranges (FLB01) | Flinders Lofty Block | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) (Probable Decline) [limited habitat] |
4 of 5 subregions | Eyre Yorke Block | Least Concern , Near Threatened , Regionally Extinct |
4 of 6 subregions | Murray Darling Depression | Least Concern , Near Threatened , Rare |
Myall Plains (GAW01) | Gawler | Near Threatened [rainfall sensitive] |
Botanical art
Kath Alcock paintings: 8
Prior names
Xerotes juncea
Common names
Desert 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. Juncea, from Latin meaning rush-like, alluding to its appearance.
Distribution and status
Found on Eyre Peninsula, Mount Lofty Ranges, Murrayland and upper Southeast in South Australia, growing in mallee communities on sandy soils. Also found in Victoria. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in Victoria.
Herbarium regions: Eyre Peninsula, Murray, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Tussock perennial herb. Leaves to 50 cm long and 1.5 mm wide; terete, rigid; apex pungent. Inflorescences much shorter than leaves, the male with 3–7 spherical segments; the female with l or 2. Perianth 5 mm long; sepals white; petals yellowish. Flowering between August and October. Fruits are dark purple, almost globular capsule to 6 mm long; smooth. Seeds are yellow-brown, rounded wedge-shaped seed to 4 mm long and 3 mm wide. Seed embryo type is linear, underdeveloped.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between November and December. 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. From three collections, the seed viability was high, at 100%. This species has morpho-physiological dormancy and is difficult to germinate.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature | BGA MSB | 3,200 (28 g) 3,200 (28 g) | 40 | 20-Nov-2006 | DJD690 Murray | 1-Aug-2007 | 100% | -18°C |
BGA | 2,900 (40.07 g) | | 20-Nov-2013 | JRG80 Murray | 1-Nov-2017 | 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.
Germination table:
Display