Lepidosperma canescens

{{short description|Species of plant}}

{{use dmy dates|date = March 2020}}

{{Speciesbox

| name =

| image =

| status =

| status_system =

| genus = Lepidosperma

| species = canescens

| authority = Boeckeler{{APNI2|id=85499|name=Lepidosperma canescens}}{{cite journal|author=Boeckeler, J.O. |date=1874|title= Die Cyperaceen den Königlichen Herbariums zu Berlin|journal= Linnaea: Ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde|volume= 38|issue=3|page= 330|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/122201}}|

| range_map = Lepidosperma canescensDistMap10.png

| range_map_caption = Occurrence data from AVH

}}

Lepidosperma canescens (common name hoary rapier-sedge){{Cite web|url=http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?form=speciesfacts&name=Lepidosperma_canescens|title=Fact sheet for Lepidosperma canescens|website=www.flora.sa.gov.au|access-date=2020-03-13}} is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to south-east South Australia and Victoria.{{Cite web|url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:310103-1|title=Lepidosperma canescens Boeckeler {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science|website=Plants of the World Online|access-date=2020-03-13}} There are no synonyms.

Description

Lepidosperma canescens is a clump-forming perennial with short rhizomes. It has terete, rigid, erect, and smooth culms which are 25–100 cm by 0.8–2.0 mm. The leaf-blades are similar to the culms but usually shorter and from 0.7–2 mm in diameter. The sheaths are yellow-brown to dark grey-brown, and are sometimes a dark reddish near the apex. They are not sticky. The inflorescences are fan-shaped to oblong. They are loose, erect, and 3–8 cm by about 2 cm. The involucral bract is shorter than the inflorescence. The spikelets are 5–7 mm long. The nut is obovoid (2–3 mm by 1.0–1.3 mm), and brown, smooth, and shining.{{Cite web|url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/a29a5b0d-dbf7-49df-a0b9-74abf96f061b|title=Flora of Victoria: Lepidosperma canescens|last=|first=|date=|website=vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-03-13}}

Uses

This sedge was used by Aborigines for weaving artefacts, and is used by the aboriginal artist, Yvonne Koolmatrie, for her weaving.{{Citation|last=Selling Yarns|title=River Bunyip: Yvonne Koolmatrie, 2003|date=2007-08-12|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/sellingyarns/3229108443/|access-date=2020-03-13}}{{Citation|last=Barritt|first=Michael J.|title=Yvonne Koolmatrie, River Dreaming, 2012, sedge rushes (Lepidosperma canescens).|date=2018-04-14|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/centralaustralia/40551106755/|access-date=2020-03-13}}{{Citation|last=Hall (Teniche)|first=Theresa|title=Sister baskets. Artist: Yvonne Koolmatrie|date=2017-07-06|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/theresahall/34932213474/|access-date=2020-03-13}}

References

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