Basal leaves erect, sometimes floating, 37–100 cm long, 1.5–4.5(–9) mm wide. Inflorescence unbranched or up to 3-branched, if branched then terminal branch greatly extending beyond the basal branches. Female heads 1–5 per branch, each subtended by a leaf-like bract. Male heads 7–13 per branch. Fruiting heads 15–20(–23)mm wide. Flowers Dec.–May.
VVP, GipP, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, VAlp. Also Qld, NSW. New Zealand, eastern Asia. In still or slowly flowing freshwater.
A significant food source for waterbirds (Sainty & Jacobs 1981) and reportedly eaten by stock in dry seasons.
Source:
Conn, B.J. (1994). Sparganiaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 630–631. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
