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Caldwell's Club-rush

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Caldwell's Club-rush photos

Scientific Name:Bolboschoenus caldwellii
Stand of Caldwell's Club-rush
Stand of Caldwell's Club-rush
Photo: A J Brown

Other Common Name:

Sea Club-sedge

Status:

Native to Australia and New Zealand.

Plant Description:

A
perennial sedge with a rhizomatous root system. The smooth and hairless, triangular stems are from 30-90 cm high and 1-3.5 mm diameter and having several nodes (swollen bumps) from which 2-7 mm wide leaves arise.

Flower-heads is a compact head of 3-6 spikelets or with 1-3 spikelet clusters on 1-4 cm long branches. The several flower bracts (leaf-like extensions of the stem) are from 4 to 22 cm long. Fruit is a lens-shaped, straw-coloured to dark golden brown, shiny nut with concave faces, 3.5-4 mm long and 2.5-3 mm diameter.

Habitat:

Locally common in the cooler south-west part of Victoria. Mainly grows on the fringes of lakes and in marshes. Appears to tolerate some salinity. Often found with other Club-rush species.



RegionSalinity ClassWaterlogging Class
Wimmera, Western, GippslandS0, S1, S2W2, W3, W4

Comments:

Two other
Bolboschoenus species grow in Victoria. Marsh Club-rush (B. medianus) grows in a similar range and habitat to Cadwell’s Club-rush but is mainly distinguished in having a dark red-brown to black nut. The other species; B. fluviatilis is uncommon and chiefly grows on lake margins in the eastern part of the State. It has a pale yellow or grey nut with equal triangular faces. These Club-rushes are similar to general appearance to other medium to large rush-like plants, such as River Club-rush (Schoenoplectus validus), Sharp Club-rush (S. pungens) and Giant Rush (Juncus ingens) but differ in flower-heads and fruit and in having leafy stems.

Caldwell's Club-rush Photos

Flowering spikelet of Caldwell's Club-rush
Flowering spikelet of Caldwell's Club-rush
Photo: A J Brown
Flower-heads of Caldwell's Club-rush
Flower-heads of Caldwell's Club-rush
Photo: A J Brown

Leaf of Caldwell's Club-rush
Leaf of Caldwell's Club-rush
Photo: A J Brown

Caldwell's Club-rush on lake edge
Caldwell's Club-rush on lake edge
Photo: A J Brown

Stems of Caldwell's Club-rush
Stems of Caldwell's Club-rush
Photo: A J Brown

Leaf and stem of Caldwell's Club-rush
Leaf and stem junction of Caldwell's Club-rush
Photo: A J Brown
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