Eleocharis acuta
Common Spike-rush at Aranda, ACT
Identify this sighting
| Eleocharis acuta | Tapirlord | 29 Jul 2023 | |
| Eleocharis acuta | Tapirlord | 29 Jul 2023 | |
| Eleocharis sphacelata | JaneR | 29 Jul 2023 | |
| Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani | CarbonAI | 29 Jul 2023 | |
| Eleocharis sphacelata | lbradley | 29 Jul 2023 |
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6 comments
29 Jul 2023
Is this one considered a significant sighting? It's "rare or uncommon" and not many sightings in Canberra.
29 Jul 2023
I'd think these would be the more common E.acuta, particularly around such as a small dam. The sense of scale is not great, but I think the plants are much smaller than meets the eye.
29 Jul 2023
I was a bit undecided, the details weren't clear enough for a confident ID. The culms in main photo seemed rather narrow for E. sphacelata, but the spike could have been. Height would have helped (I can't see height observations).
I think you are right, more likely E. acuta. Habit is not right for E, sphacelata.
The reason E, sphacelata it is rare and uncommon is two-fold: most people overlook it; and the species is highly palatable, so preferentially grazed whenever there are cattle present: I don't know if kangaroos and wallabies graze on it as well.
Dam size (depth) is immaterial: it may appear to be associated with larger dams but that's because they offer a 'refuge' from hungry herbivores (ie just out of reach). There is no reason why Tall spikerush can't occur in smaller dams. I have known it grow in roadside drains.
I think you are right, more likely E. acuta. Habit is not right for E, sphacelata.
The reason E, sphacelata it is rare and uncommon is two-fold: most people overlook it; and the species is highly palatable, so preferentially grazed whenever there are cattle present: I don't know if kangaroos and wallabies graze on it as well.
Dam size (depth) is immaterial: it may appear to be associated with larger dams but that's because they offer a 'refuge' from hungry herbivores (ie just out of reach). There is no reason why Tall spikerush can't occur in smaller dams. I have known it grow in roadside drains.
29 Jul 2023
I've just studied the sightings on CNM and I believe it is E. acuta. The plant apps failed me again.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.078837-35.276566
- Altitude 593.2m
- Maps Aranda Bushland
- Places Aranda, ACT Aranda, ACT
Sighting information
- 101 - 1,000 Abundance
- 29 Jul 2023 05:32 PM Recorded on
- lbradley Recorded by
Collections
- lbradley Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Rushes, Sedges & Mat Rushes Plants Eleocharis acuta
Species information
- Eleocharis acuta Scientific name
- Common Spike-rush Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1250.16m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
3 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- Additional attributes