Lomandra rigida, commonly known as stiff mat rush, is a herbaceous perennial plant endemic to the southern coast of Southwest Australia.
| Lomandra rigida | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Lomandroideae |
| Genus: | Lomandra |
| Species: | L. rigida
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lomandra rigida | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Xerotes rigida (Labill.) R.Br. | |
Taxonomy
editFirst described by Jacques Labillardière in 1805, using specimens he obtained while voyaging along the Australian coast. The type specimen is noted as collected "in terrâ Van-Leuwin".[1] The species was assigned to genus Xerotes by Robert Brown in 1810, this combination is currently regarded as a synonym for the original description.[2]
Description
editA mat forming perennial plant, growing to a height between 0.1 and 0.3 metres.[3] They are a dioecious species, separated as male and female individuals, that present cream or yellow flowers around October to December.[3] The leaves terminate in a pair of spines.[4]
Ecology
editEndemic to sand on granitic outcrops at the coast of the eastern Esperance Plains and offshore islands at the Recherche Archipelago.[4][1] The dense and spiny mats formed by the plant provides habitat for other organisms and a deterrent to herbivores, the assemblage of plants may include Caladenia heberleana and Anthocercis vicosa subsp. caudata.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b "APNI - Lomandra rigida". biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
- ^ "APC Format - Lomandra rigida". biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
- ^ a b "Lomandra rigida". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
- ^ a b c Nikulinsky, P.; Hopper, S.D. (2008). Life on the rocks : the art of survival (Revised ed.). Fremantle Press. pp. 178–79. ISBN 9781921361289.