Australian botanists have described a new species of high-altitude species of sedge from south-western Tasmania.
Lepidosperma monticola at Mt. Field National Park, Tasmania. Image credit: Jeremy J. Bruhl.
Members of the genus Lepidosperma are commonly known as sword-sedges. They have elongate, flattened leaves that are shaped like a double-edged sword. Many species also possess sharp, cutting leaf margins.
The genus with more than 100 species is widespread across Australia. Most species occur in open forests, woodlands and heath, and some in swamps.
The new species, named Lepidosperma monticola, is a small clumping plant, measuring at about 7 cm tall.
Lepidosperma monticola is the smallest known species of Lepidosperma. It is also unique in the genus in being the only species essentially restricted to alpine vegetation.
Lepidosperma monticola. Image credit: Jeremy J. Bruhl.
All known populations of the new species occur above 700 m altitude. Individual plants are often inconspicuous, growing in the crevices of rock outcrops. Other individuals form attractive rounded clumps up to about 20 cm in diameter intermingled with mosses and lichens.
Lepidosperma monticola is somewhat similar to a recently discovered species, Lepidosperma inops, which grows at lower elevations. The two species can be readily distinguished by traits such as fruit morphology.
Currently, Dr Karen Wilson from National Herbarium of New South Wales, Mr George Plunkett and Prof Jeremy Bruhl from the University of New England, who are co-authors of the paper published in the journal PhytoKeys, are working to investigate the taxonomic value of Lepidosperma‘s aromatic resins, which also appear to have therapeutic value.
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Bibliographic information: Plunkett GT et al. 2013. Sedges in the mist: A new species of Lepidosperma (Cyperaceae, Schoeneae) from the mountains of Tasmania. PhytoKeys 28: 19–59; doi: 10.3897/phytokeys.28.5592
