Prior names
Triglochin minutissimum, orth.var.
Common names
Tiny Arrowgrass
Etymology
Triglochin from the Greek 'treis' meaning three and 'glochis' meaning a point; referring to its three-sided carpels. Minutissima from the Latin 'minutus' meaning very small and suffix 'issima' meaning most; referring to its tiny habit.
Distribution and status
Found on the western Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, southern Mount Lofty Ranges and the upper South-east in South Australia, growing on damp saline soils near salt-lakes and coastal saltmarshes. Also found in Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Rare in South Australia. Rare in Victoria and Tasmania. Common in Western Australia.
Herbarium regions: Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Slender annual herb to 4.5 cm high. Leaves flat and thread-like, to 2.5 cm long, shorter than or as long as the inflorescence. Inflorescence an erect or ascending spike to 3.5 cm long, fruiting part at the top to 1.8 cm long, with 7–13 fruits. Flowering between July and October. Fruits are grey-brown narrowly pyramidal to suboblong fruit to 2 mm long and 0.5 mm wide just above base on very short stalk with six seed segments (carpels), 3 fertile alternating with 3 undeveloped sterile ones. Seeds are grey-brown wedge-shaped seed 2 mm long and 0.5 mm wide, with 2 minute lateral obtuse points at the base. Seed embryo type is linear.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between August and November. Collect mature fruits either by breaking off individual spikes or by removing plants that are drying off with fruits that are greyish or brown and seed segments coming apart easily. Place the fruit spikes in a tray and leave to dry for 1 to 2 weeks. Then rub the dried fruit spikes 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 100%.
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGA MSB | 19,500 (1.61 g) 19,500 (1.61 g) | 50+ | 18-Sep-2007 | RJB74261 South Eastern | 19-Sep-2008 | 100% | +5°C, -18°C |
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.