Citation: Ewart, Proc. R. Soc. Vic. 28:220 (1916) subsp. robusta A. Lee, Contr. N.S.W. natn. Herb. 3:161 (1962).

Synonymy: Xerotes leucocephala R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 260 (1810), partly.

Common name: Woolly (or woolly-head) mat-rush.

Description:
Leaves rigid, 30-80 cm long, 1.5-2 mm (rarely 3-4 mm) broad, flat or somewhat channelled.

Flowers sessile in dense ovoid heads or thick cylindrical spikes, 1.5-5 cm long and 1-2 cm thick, enclosing the straight rigid unbranched stem, approximate or distant, sometimes only a terminal cylindrical spike, 5-11 cm long; bract shorter or longer than the flower which it subtends; bracteoles numerous, deeply fringed and golden-tipped, usually divided into fibres as long as the flowers and giving the head of spikes a white-woolly appearance; male perianth c. 8 mm long, the 3 outer segments concave, hyaline, lanceolate, much shorter than the inner ones, free except close to the narrow base of the 3 inner segments, which are funnel-shaped, white, tubular in the lower half, the lobes obtuse; 3 stamens attached to the lobes, the 3 others at the base of the lobes; female perianth similar.

Capsule ovoid or obovoid, acuminate, 6-7 mm long, white, smooth, almost hidden in the wool.

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 188.

Distribution:    All mainland States. Conservation status: native Flowering time: principally April — Aug.

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

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available