Caustis recurvata Spreng. APNI* Description: Perennial with short rhizome.
Culms erect, smooth, scaberulous or hispid, 15–70 mm long, 1–5 mm diam. Leaf sheaths red-brown to blackish; blade occasionally developed (usually on juvenile plants), to 12 cm long and 4 mm wide.
Inflorescence with 7–12 distant clusters of branches, 20–60 cm long, functionally monoecious; ultimate branches of 'male' inflorescences short and somewhat flexuous or straight, of 'female' inflorescence long and strongly curled with numerous leaf-like sterile branches that may be dense and hide the main axis. Spikelets 1- or 2-flowered, 5–13 mm long (functionally male mostly longer than female). Glumes 2–4, long-acute, mostly long-mucronate, red-brown, puberulous, with margins ciliolate, 4–12 mm long. Stamens 5 or 6; anthers 2.7–5.2 mm long, excluding appendage 0.3–1.0 mm long. Style 3–5-fid; persistent style base 1.5–2.0 mm long, dark red-brown to blackish.
Nut ovoid to ellipsoid, 4–5.5 mm long, 2.2–2.5 mm diam., minutely reticulate (cells slightly elongated longitudinally), irregularly wrinkled, whitish to straw-coloured.
Flowering: spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in coastal sandy heath and mountain heath; mainly coastal, extending south to Jervis Bay and inland to the Olinda–Clarence region.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, CT
Other Australian states: Qld
Text by K. L. Wilson
Taxon concept: KL Wilson ((1993) Flora of NSW vol 4
| | Key to the varieties | |
| 1 | Glumes puberulous and culms scaberulous, but other parts usually glabrous; culms 1–2.5 mm diam.; glumes 2–4 per spikelet | var. recurvata |
| All parts hispid or scabrous; culm 2–5 mm diam.; glumes 4 or 5 per spikelet | var. hirsuta |
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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