Botanical art
Etymology
Baumea named after Antoine Baume (1728–1804), a French chemist and inventor. Acuta from the Latin 'acutus' meaning sharp or pointed.
Distribution and status
Found on Kangaroo Island, southern Mount Lofty Ranges and the lower South-east in South Australia, growing in swamps and damp heath on open sandy soils. Also found in Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Uncommon in South Australia. Uncommon in Queensland. Common in all the other States.
Herbarium regions: Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Kangaroo Island, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Slender, tufted perennial sedge with long rhizome. Culms rigid, flat to biconvex; node-less, smooth, to 35 cm high and 1.5 mm diameter. Leaves basal with flat to biconvex blade; sheath straw-coloured to pale red-brown, dull; Inflorescence oblong in outline, narrow, erect to 14 cm long and 1 cm diameter. Spikelets few, 1-flowered, 4.5–6 mm long. Glumes 3 or 4, acute, red-brown, with margins ciliate or glabrous. Flowering between spring and summer. Fruits are short red brown heads at the tip of stems. Seeds are dark red to black, ovoid to ellipsoid nut to 3 mm long and 2 mm wide, smooth and shiny surface. Seed embryo type is capitate.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between December and April. Collect whole heads that are brown, containing dark hard seeds. Not all heads will contain 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 two collections, the seed viability was high, at 100%. This species is generally difficult to germinate, it has morphophysiological dormancy and complex germination requirements.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BGA MSB | 6,700 (10.5 g) 6,700 (10.5 g) | 100+ | 11-Apr-2006 | DJD456 South Eastern | 28-Jul-2006 | 100% | +5°C, -18°C |
BGA | 3,300 (5.4 g) | 200+ | 4-Apr-2007 | DJD787 South Eastern | 1-Aug-2007 | 100% | +5°C, -18°C |