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Cyperus gracilis R.Br.
Family Cyperaceae
Common name: Slender Flat-sedge

Cyperus gracilis R.Br. APNI*

Description: Small, densely tufted perennial, often proliferating.

Culms trigonous, smooth, 10–40 cm long, c. 0.5 mm diam. Leaves not septate-nodulose, shorter than culms, usually filiform, rarely > 1 mm wide.

Inflorescence a digitate cluster to 30 mm diam. of 2–7 spikelets, without branches; involucral bracts leaf-like, 2–4 longer than inflorescence. Spikelets flattened, 5–20 mm long, c. 2 mm wide in side view, 8–20-flowered; rachilla not winged, persistent. Glumes short-acuminate, excurved, with sides 3- or 4-nerved, 2–2.5 mm long, green to pale brown, occasionally tinged yellow. Stamens 3. Style 3-fid.

Nut trigonous, broad-obovoid to obcordate, about three-quarters as long as glume, c. 1.2 mm long, c. 0.8 mm diam., dark brown to black.


Illustration
L. Elkan

Habit
Photo L. von Richter

Fruit
Photo L. von Richter

Flowering: spring–summer.

Distribution and occurrence: North from near Eden and Wombeyan Caves, west to near Lightning Ridge, only near Nymagee on SWP. Also in Qld and Vic, Norfolk Island, New Caledonia.

Grows in open woodland and grassland, in drier situations than many of the related species.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, NWS, CWS, NWP, SWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic.
AVH map***

Text by K. L. Wilson (1993); edilted KL Wilson (Jan 2019)
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)


APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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