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Scientific Name
Lepidosperma gladiatum
Family Name
CYPERACEAE
Common Name
Coast Swordsedge
Status
Height
over 1m
Flowers
Compact heads of brown flowers at the top of the stem, 15cm long by 6cm wide. Spikelets in dense clusters, change from pale red to black over time.
Fruit
Nut
Form
Robust sedge with flattened stems and sword-like leaves, 2cm wide and all in one plane.
Municipalities
Break O'Day; Burnie; Clarence; Derwent Valley; Devonport; Dorset; Flinders Island; Georgetown; Glamorgan-Spring Bay; Huon Valley; King Island; Kingborough; Latrobe; Sorell; Tasman; West Coast; West Tamar
Communities
Habitat Notes
Coastal sands around the State.
Site Tolerance
Frost Tolerance
Moderate
Soil Tolerance
General Notes
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. Useful for damp areas or around ponds. Resistant to Phythophthora cinnamomi. Its leaves are used for weaving (modern), contributing interesting colour. Flower heads are also used in dried flower arrangements. Suitable below powerlines.
Propagation Details
Propagation Calendar
Flowering Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Seed Collecting Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Sowing Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Cutting Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Seed Information
Seed Collection
Nuts small, pale to dark brown, 2-4mm 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.
Seed Treatment Method
Seed Storage Life
Viable Seeds Per Gram
Seed Treatment Notes
Germination Time
Suitable for Direct Seeding
Cuttings
Expected Time to Take Root
Expected Time to Plant Out
Propagation by Division
N.B. Transplant only from nearby to avoid disease.
Yes
Cutting Notes
Copyright 2000-2009, Understorey Network Incorporated. Updated 2024-10-14
Database development and website design by
Andrew Smith