Seed collecting: | December to April | Herbarium regions: | Flinders Ranges, Northern Lofty, Murray, Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern |
NRM regions: | Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Kangaroo Island, South Australian Arid Lands, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin, South East |
| Mount Gambier (SVP02) | Southern Volcanic Plain | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) |
| Bridgewater (NCP01) | Naracoorte Coastal Plain | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) | Glenelg Plain (NCP02) | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) |
| Fleurieu (KAN02) | Kanmantoo | Rare (IUCN: RA d(ii)) [limited habitat] |
| Mount Lofty Ranges (FLB01) | Flinders Lofty Block | Near Threatened [limited habitat] | Broughton (FLB02) | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D1+2) (Probable Decline) | Southern Flinders (FLB04) | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D1+2) (Probable Decline) | Central Flinders (FLB06) | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) |
| Murray Mallee (MDD02) | Murray Darling Depression | Endangered (IUCN: EN B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [needs running water] | Murray Lakes and Coorong (MDD03) | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii,iii); D2) (Probable Decline) [edge of range] |
RSCA map: | Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion. Please click the thumbnail map. |
AVH map: | Australian distribution map (external link) |
SA Census: | Census of South Australian plants (external link) [genus Carex] |
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Name derivation:
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Carex is the classical Latin name for sedge, perhaps from 'carere' meaning to be absent, as the upper spikes are staminate (male) and do not produce seeds. May have been used by Virgil for plants in this genus and derived from ancient Greek 'keiro' meaning to cut, referring to the sharp edge of leaf margins. Gaudichaudiana named after Charles Gaudichaud-Baupré (1789-1854), a French botanist and physician. |
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Distribution:
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Found mainly in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges and the lower South-east in South Australia with an isolated population in Wilpena Pound; growing in wet places. Also found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. |
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Status:
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Native. Uncommon in South Australia. Uncommon in Queensland. Common in the other States. |
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Plant description:
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Sedge with stems to 60 cm high, acutely triquetrous with scabrous margins. Leaves often longer than the stem, flat. Flower-spikes 3-8, cylindrical, to 6 cm long, distinct, sessile fruit spikes, except the lowest which is sometimes shortly pedunculate; the upper 1 or 2 male, the others female or shortly male at the top; lower bracts long, sometimes as long as the inflorescence; glumes with dark brown- purple sides; lanceolate, narrowly obtuse and often mucronate. |
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Fruit type:
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Brown, clusters of erect heads, each containing numerous individual fruit. |
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Seed type:
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Dark brown semi-flat globular seed to 3 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, covered by a striated ovoid, papery layer. |
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Embryo type:
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Capitate. |
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Seed collecting:
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Collect fruits either by running your hands along the heads; mature seeds will come-off easily, or cut whole heads that are brown, containing dark hard seeds. |
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Seed cleaning:
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Place the heads in a tray and leave to dry for one to two weeks. Then rub the heads with a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate any unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. |
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Seed viability:
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From one collection, the seed viability was low, at 40%. |
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
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| BGA MSB | 4360 (3.97 g) 4360 (3.97 g) | 20-Dec-2006 | DJD731 Murray | 1-Aug-2007 | 45% | -18°C |
