Bulbostylis barbata
Family
Cyperaceae
Botanical Name
Bulbostylis barbata (Rottb.) C.B.Clarke
Clarke, C.B. in Hooker, J.D. (1894) The Flora of British India 6: 651. Type: ?.
Synonyms
Scirpus barbatus Rottb., Descriptiones Plantarum Rariorum: 27(1772), Type: ?.
Common name
Watergrass
Stem
Tufted sedge with glabrous stems 5-30 cm tall.
Leaves
Leaves shorter than the stems and curve downwards; leaf sheath with long white hairs; lamina longitudinally ridged.
Flowers
Inflorescence capitate, with 3-20 spikelets, 5-15 mm across; involucral bracts 2-3, filiform, basal bract erect; spikelets sessile ovate to oblong; glumes reddish brown, strongly keeled;, keels on glomes greenish, margins of glumes toothed in the upper half, mucro on glumes curved outwards; stigma shorter than the style.
Fruit
Seed triquetrous, obovate in outline, very smooth and white to cream coloured, 0.5-0.75 mm long.
Seedlings
Features not available.
Distribution and Ecology
Occurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ and CQ. Altitudinal range from near sea level to 580 m. Grows in sclerophyll forest, open forest, deciduous vine thicket, riverbeds, dune scrub and woodland. Widely distributed over the warm parts of the Old World, also in USA.
Natural History
Can occur as a pioneer plant in disturbed areas.
WA
X
NT
X
CYP
X
NEQ
X
Grass
X
RFK Code
4191