''Baumea'' is a genus of the sedge family, which includes around 30 species native to

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

and the

Pacific Islands Collectively called the Pacific Islands, the islands in the Pacific Ocean are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of se ...

, with 15 species in Australia. All are perennial rhizomatous herbs, with leaves and stems very similar in appearance. The inflorescence is terminal, with the flowers tightly clustered or loosely arranged. The fruits are small nuts. It is closely related to the genus ''

Machaerina ''Machaerina'' (twigrush) is a genus of flowering plants in the sedge family. Its species occur in tropical America, the West Indies, Malesia, Australia and the Pacific region. The name comes from the Greek ''machaira'' (a large knife), alluding ...

'', and is sometimes included in that genus.

Habitat and cultivation

Most species occur in open moist habitats; many are found in swamps or seasonally inundated areas. ''Baumea'' is propagated from transplants, divisions, or from seeds, which germinate readily if sown on damp organic mix and kept moist until shoots appear.

Selected species

*''

Baumea acuta ''Baumea acuta'', commonly known as pale twig-rush, is a flowering plant in the sedge family, Cyperaceae, that is native to southern parts of Australia. Description The grass-like plant is rhizomatous and perennial. It typically grows to a heigh ...

'' (Labill.) Palla *''

Baumea arthrophylla ''Baumea arthrophylla''(now known as Machaerina arthrophylla) is a flowering plant in the sedge family, Cyperaceae that is native to many states and territories of Australia. The grass-like plant is rhizomatous and perennial, with a tufted habit ...

'' (Nees) Boeckeler *''

Baumea articulata ''Baumea articulata'', commonly known as jointed rush, is a sedge in the sedge family, Cyperaceae, that is native to Western Australia. The grass-like plant is rhizomatous and perennial, it typically grows to a height of . It blooms between Septe ...

'' (R.Br.) S.T.Blake *''

Baumea juncea ''Machaerina juncea'', commonly known as bare twig-rush or tussock swamp twig rush, is a sedge in the sedge family, Cyperaceae, that is native to Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. Description The grass-like sedge is rhizomatous and pere ...

'' (R.Br.) Palla *''

Baumea laxa ''Baumea laxa'' is a flowering plant in the sedge family, Cyperaceae, that is native to Western Australia. The grass-like plant is found along coastal areas in the Peel, South West The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radiall ...

'' (Nees) Boeckeler *''

Baumea preissii ''Baumea preissii'' is a flowering plant in the sedge family Cyperaceae, which is native to Western Australia. The robust grass-like plant is rhizomatous and perennial; it typically grows to a height of , and colonises easily. It blooms between ...

'' Nees *''

Baumea riparia ''Baumea riparia'' is a flowering plant in the sedge family, Cyperaceae that is native to Western Australia. The robust grass-like sedge is rhizomatous and perennial, it typically grows to a height of and colonises easily. It blooms between Aug ...

'' (Nees) Boeckeler *''

Baumea rubiginosa ''Machaerina rubiginosa'', commonly known as soft twig rush, flat leaf twig rush or common twig rush, is a flowering plant in the sedge family, Cyperaceae, that is native to Asia and the Pacific. Description The robust grass-like sedge is rhizom ...

'' (Spreng.) Boeckeler *''

Baumea vaginalis ''Baumea vaginalis'', commonly known as sheath twig rush, is a flowering plant in the sedge family, Cyperaceae, that is native to Western Australia. The robust grass-like sedge is rhizomatous and perennial and has a tufted habit, it typically gr ...

'' (Benth.) S.T.Blake

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4873547 Cyperaceae genera