Trianoptiles solitaria
(C.B.Clarke) LevynsLeafy tufted annual. Culms erect, trigonous to flattened, striate, to c. 1 cm high, to 1 mm diam. Leaf-blades to 8 cm long; sheaths straw-coloured, striate, dull; mouth glabrous. Inflorescence erect, to 4 cm long, of 2 spikelets (often 1 hidden amongst leaves), solitary (rarely paired); lowest involucral bract to 6 cm long. Spikelets very narrow-ellipsoid (moniliform when nuts mature), acute, 2-flowered, c. 10 mm long; glumes 3 (lowermost 1 empty), very narrowly ovate, acute, green midrib with hyaline sides, shining, glabrous; fertile glumes 7–9 mm long; hypogynous scales slightly shorter than to slightly exceeding nut. Nut narrow-obovoid to narrow-ellipsoid, tapering abruptly to rostrate apex with persistent style-base, 3-angled but not ribbed, reticulate-pitted, glabrous, shining, dark greygreen to blackish, c. 2 mm long, c. 1 mm diam. Basal spikelets with very narrow glumes c. 12 mm long, pale brown with whitish margins, and very broad-obovoid nuts. Flowers spring.
GipP. Native to South Africa. Known from a small urban reserve in the Melbourne suburb of Balwyn.
Superficially resembling some small species of Schoenus.
Wilson, K.L. (1994). Cyperaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 238–356. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning