Chaffy Saw-sedge,
Thatching Grass
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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
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Bridgewater (NCP01) | Naracoorte Coastal Plain | Least Concern |
Glenelg Plain (NCP02) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) (Probable Decline) |
Lucindale (NCP03) | | Least Concern (Probable Decline) [salinity a threat] |
Tintinara (NCP04) | | Least Concern (Probable Decline) [salinity a threat] |
Kangaroo Island (KAN01) | Kanmantoo | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) |
Fleurieu (KAN02) | | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [around Victor Harbor; grazed, habitat trashed] |
Mount Lofty Ranges (FLB01) | Flinders Lofty Block | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [coastal waterways; known from Onkaparinga estuary] |
Broughton (FLB02) | | Endangered (IUCN: EN D) (Definite Decline) [<50 plants, Brougton Gorge] |
Southern Yorke (EYB01) | Eyre Yorke Block | Least Concern (Probable Decline) |
St Vincent (EYB02) | | Least Concern (Probable Decline) |
Eyre Hills (EYB03) | | Near Threatened [restricted habitats, tolerate salt to a limit] |
Talia (EYB04) | | Near Threatened [restricted habitats, tolerate salt to a limit] |
Eyre Mallee (EYB05) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [restricted habitats, tolerate salt to a limit] |
Murray Mallee (MDD02) | Murray Darling Depression | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) (Probable Decline) [edge of range] |
Murray Lakes and Coorong (MDD03) | | Least Concern (Probable Decline) [salinity a threat] |
Lowan Mallee (MDD04) | | Rare (IUCN: RA d(i,ii)) [questionable record] |
4 of 4 subregions | Naracoorte Coastal Plain | Least Concern , Rare |
2 of 2 subregions | Kanmantoo | Rare , Vulnerable |
2 of 6 subregions | Flinders Lofty Block | Vulnerable , Endangered |
5 of 5 subregions | Eyre Yorke Block | Least Concern , Near Threatened , Rare |
3 of 6 subregions | Murray Darling Depression | Least Concern , Rare |
Botanical art
Kath Alcock paintings: 2
Prior names
Schoenus filum
Cladium filum
Baumea longifolia
Common names
Chaffy Saw-sedge
Thatching Grass
Etymology
Gahnia named after Dr. Henricus Gahn, 19th century Swedish botanist and student of Linnaeus. Filum ftom Lating meaning a thread; alluding to its threat-like leaves.
Distribution and status
Found in the southern part of South Australia, fringing saline and subsaline swamps and marshes in damp areas near the coast. Also found in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the others states.
Herbarium regions: Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Tussock-forming perennial sedge with culms to 110 cm high and 3 mm diameter. Leaf-blades flat to inrolled, erect to spreading, smooth to finely scabrous, as long as or longer than culm, shorter than inflorescence. Inflorescence very narrow, erect spike to 35 cm long with 2–3 densely clustered pale brown spikelets. Flowering in spring and summer. Fruits are dark brown spike on a long stalk. Seeds are brown narrow ovoid seed to 6 mm long and 1 mm wide. Seed embryo type is capitate.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between November and March. Collect heads that are dying off, turning dark brown and containing hard dark 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 80%. Seeds germinated to a high level (90%) with no treatment.
Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature | BGA | 7,500 (10.36 g) | | 15-Nov-2013 | D151113SL Southern Lofty | 1-Jan-2016 | 80% | -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:
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