Coast Sword-sedge

Scientific Name:

Lepidosperma gladiatum

Coast Sword-sedge plant
Photo: A J Brown

Status:

Native to Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria.

Plant Description:

Perennial clump-forming sedge to 1 m tall with a thick vertical rhizome. Stems are erect and rigid with a central biconvex ridge and flat margins., 5-20 mm wide. Leaf-blades are similar to stems but less ridged. Leaf-sheaths (at the base of the stems) are straw coloured to dark yellow-brown or grey-brown.

Flower-head ovate or oblong, erect and dense from 4-18 cm long and 3-7 cm diameter. Spikelets are numerous and clustered, 6-8 mm long. Fruit is a pale to dark brown, narrowly-ovoid nut with a smooth or wrinkled, shining surface, 3-4 mm long.

Habitat:

Occurs along the coastline in secondary sand dunes and occasionally on sandstone and limestone headlands.

Coast Sword-sedge leaf
Photo: A J Brown

Leaf apices of Coast Sword-sedge
Photo: A J Brown

Coast Sword-sedge flower-head
Photo: A J Brown

Flower-head of Coast Sword-sedge showing anthers
Photo: A J Brown

Senescent flower-head of Coast Sword-sedge
Photo: A J Brown

Senescent leaf of Coast Sword-sedge
Photo: A J Brown

Coast Sword-sedge mature flower head
Mature flower-head of Coast Sword-sedge
Photo: A J Brown

This page contains material sourced from the Victorian Resources Online (VRO) website, originally published by the State Government of Victoria.

The content is provided under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia licence (CC BY 4.0 AU).

This material is presented in an archived form and is no longer maintained or updated. It is provided for general information only and should not be relied upon as current advice.

This site is hosted by the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI), Federation University Australia. It is not endorsed by Agriculture Victoria.

Agriculture Victoria does not accept liability for any loss, damage or consequences arising from the use of, or reliance on, this material.