Citation: Ewart, Proc. R. Soc. Vic. 28:220 (1916).

Synonymy: Xerotes juncea F. Muell., J. Trans. Vic. Inst. 1:135 (1855).

Common name: Desert mat-rush.

Description:
Rootstock creeping; leaves of 2 types, the outer reduced to brown sheathing bases, the inner terete, rigid, pungent-pointed and 20-50 cm long.

Flowering stems much shorter, not branched, with 3-7 globular heads of flowers enclosing the stem, and usually distant from each other; male flowers shortly pedicellate, each with 2 fringed bracts at the base; perianth c. 5 mm long, funnel-shaped, the outer segments scarious, free, concave, about as long as the 3 inner, which are united in a tube in the lower part; stamens inserted at the base of the 3 white obtuse lobes; female heads globular, 1 or 2 on the stem.

Capsule almost globular, acuminate, smooth, c. 6 mm diam.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: EP, MU, SL, KI, SE.   Vic. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Aug. — Oct.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: The inner leaves have previously been interpreted as barren stems but have been shown to be leaves by Stevens (1978), J. Arnold Arbor. 59:137,

Author: Not yet available