CYPERACEAE

Dark Swordsedge

 

60-175cm 

In a flowerhead 15-35cm long. 

Nut 

Densely tufted perennial with leaves and stems having sunken midveins. 

Break O'Day; Burnie; Central Highlands; Clarence; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Glenorchy; Hobart; Huon Valley; Kentish; Kingborough; Latrobe; Launceston; Meander Valley; Sorell; Tasman; Waratah-Wynyard; West Coast 

 

Damp areas in dry sclerophyll forest, and edges of wet sclerophyll forest, from sea level to 300m altitude on the East Coast and South West. 

 

 

 

Very difficult to grow from seed- seed is slow to germinate and may have low viability. Seed is reputed to germinate very slowly if sown in dark and moist conditions. A combined heat-smoke treatment may be worth trying, possibly with older seed. Can be propagated by division over the winter months, but plants are slow to re-establish. Resistant to Phythophthora cinnamomi. Suitable below powerlines. 

Nuts small, 3mm long, and contained in dry seedheads. Some species retain seed on the plant for several years. Cut the whole seedhead with secateurs and allow to dry, beat against a hard surface to extract, being careful of sharp foliage. 

Smoke 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes