Carex horsfieldii

Family

Cyperaceae

Botanical Name

Carex horsfieldii Boott

Boott, F. (1846) Transactions of the Linnean Society of London 20: 131. Type: in Insulae Java, Dr. Horsfield..

Stem

Usually flowers and fruits when about 1-2 m tall, sometimes when smaller.

Leaves

Basal leaves sword-like, 30-100 x 1-1.5 cm, margins sharp and abrasive. Blades plicate.

Flowers

Inflorescence terminal, produced on a long peduncle which ends in a series of leafy bracts. Inflorescence a panicle of spikes, each spike consisting of female flowers at the base with a cluster of male flowers at the apex. Anthers about 1.5 mm long. Pollen yellow.

Fruit

Nuts with the style persistent at the apex, about 1.5 mm diam. and 4 mm long. Endosperm granular and oily. Embryo minute, basal.

Seedlings

First leaves 27-55 x 1 mm. At the tenth leaf stage: leaves sessile, strap-like, margins and the midrib on the lower surface of the leaf blade finely serrate. Venation parallel with 5-7 veins on each side of the midrib. Leaf base clasping the +/- triangular stem.

Distribution and Ecology

Occurs in NEQ and southwards as far as south eastern Queensland. Altitudinal range from 150-1000 m. Grows in disturbed areas in upland and mountain rain forest and mesophyll vine forest. Also occurs in Malesia.

NEQ

X

Grass

X

RFK Code

3370