''Cyperus victoriensis'', also known as channel nut grass is a sedge of the family

Cyperaceae The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' w ...

that is native to all the states and territories of mainland

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Description

The rhizomatous perennial herb to grass-like sedge typically grows to a height of . It has slender rhizomes that form ovoid to ellipsoid shaped woody tubers that are in diameter. The mostly terete culms are smooth and trigonous with a length of and a diameter of . The leaves are not septate-nodulose and usually half the length of the culm with a width of . The simple

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

has three to eight primary branches with a length of about that is often bent under the weight of the spikelets. The spikes have an ovoid shape and a length of around and a diameter of around . The spikelets are flattened with 3 to 15 on each spike containing around 40 flowers. Later a trigonous, narrowly obovoid gery-brown to black nut will form with a length of and a diameter of .

Taxonomy

The species was first formally described by the botanist

Charles Baron Clarke Charles Baron Clarke (17 June 1832 – 25 August 1906) was a British botanist. He was born at Andover, Hampshire, Andover, the eldest son of Turner Poulter Clarke. He was educated at King's College School, London, and at Trinity College, Cambrid ...

in 1908 in the ''Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Royal Gardens, Kew''.

Distribution

It is endemic to mainland Australia and is found in all states. In

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

and is found along streams and creeks in the

Kimberley Kimberly or Kimberley may refer to: Places and historical events Australia * Kimberley (Western Australia) ** Roman Catholic Diocese of Kimberley * Kimberley Warm Springs, Tasmania * Kimberley, Tasmania a small town * County of Kimberley, a ...

region where it grows in sandy-clay soils. In New South Wales it is widespread through most non-coastal areas and is known on floodplains and the banks of inland watercourses mostly on clayey soils. It is found in north western

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

from the mallee through to the

Riverina The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15536748 Taxa named by Charles Baron Clarke Plants described in 1908 Flora of Western Australia victoriensis Flora of New South Wales Flora of Victoria (state) Flora of Queensland Flora of South Australia Flora of the Northern Territory

Description

Taxonomy

Distribution

See also

References