River reed
Lomandra hystrix, Fam. Laxmanniaceae
Robust, tufted herb.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Grass or grass-like plant |
| Family: | Laxmanniaceae |
| Leaf: | Flat, rather thin, glabrous, usually 90-130 x 0.5–1.05 cm. Apex acute with two to four often minute lateral teeth usually well below apex, rarely the laterals longest. Sheath margins intact, white or occasionally brown to reddish brown. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Yellow, Cream, Purple |
| Flower description: | Male and female inflorescences similar, up to as long as leaves, branched usually twice. Major primary branches usually four per node and up to 20cm long. Flattened scape half to twice as long as rachis. Flower clusters whorled. Cluster bracts conspicuous, pungent, the longest 2-9.5cm long. Bract and inner bract shorter than flower truncate, white. Flowers ellipsoidal or cylindrical, sessile. Male flowers 3-3.5mm long, females 4.5mm long. Outer tepals shiny, scarious, purplish or yellow, inner tepals dull, fleshy, yellow or cream. Spring to summer. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Brown |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Brown capsules, transversely ridged, about 5mm long. |
| Habitat: | Gallery (riverine or riparian) forest, wetland. |
| Distribution | Queensland, New South Wales. |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia. |
| Notes: | Wetland indicator species. Closely related to L. longifolia with similar inner bract and flowers, but differing with a pointed apex with the teeth usually occurring well below the apex and transversely ridged fruit. |
| Information sources: | Atlas of Living Australia (2022) Lomandra hystrix (R.Br.) L.R.Fraser & Vickery., PlantNET (2022) Lomandra hystrix (R.Br.) L.R.Fraser & Vickery. FloraOnline. |
