Common name: Bare Twig-rush
Machaerina juncea (R.Br.) T.Koyama APNI* Synonyms: Baumea juncea (R.Br.) Palla APNI*
Cladium junceum R.Br. APNI*
Description: Slender perennial with long rhizome.
Culms rigid, terete, 1–3-noded, striate, glabrous, smooth, 20–90 cm high, 1.0–2.0 mm diam. Leaves basal and cauline; blade reduced to short erect flattened mucro; sheath straw-coloured to pale reddish or grey-brown, dull.
Inflorescence oblong to ovate in outline, narrow, erect, 1–8 cm long, to 1 cm diam.; lowest involucral bract shorter than inflorescence. Spikelets few, 1-flowered, 3–6 mm long. Glumes 4 or 5, acute to long-acute, red-brown to grey-brown, with margins glabrous, midrib scaberulous; fertile glumes 3–5 mm long. Anthers 1.8–2.2 mm long, excluding appendage 0.3–0.5 mm long.
Nut obovoid to globose, 2.3–3.0 mm long, 1.5–2.0 mm diam., smooth with scattered pits, hispid at apex, shining, dark red-brown to black.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Coastal areas except for isolated occurrence at Boonoo Boonoo Falls. Grows in mostly brackish or saline swamps, on sandy soils.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, LHI
Other Australian states: Qld Tas. W.A. S.A.
Text by K. L. Wilson (1993); edited KL Wilson (Feb 2023)
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993) as Baumea juncea
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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