| The sedge
family
(Cyperaceae) is a large and prominent group of herbs in Tasmania,
with the second largest family of plants in Tasmania
(after Asteraceae), with 21
introduced and 118 native species in a total of 20 genera. The
sedges are typically species of nutrient poor areas. Most are
species of aquatic, damp or boggy habitats, though some (e.g. many Lepidosperma species and Caustis
pentandra) thrive in dry heaths or forests. Most of the
non-aquatic species form dense tufts with few or no conspicuous stem
leaves. The leave are often hard and sometimes (e.g. Gahnia
spp. and some Carex spp.) have cutting edges.
Identifying sedges can be difficult and depends on careful determination of the the structure and
composition of the spikelets. Good luck...
The key to this family is still under development.
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