About the Catchment Area : Flora and Fauna

Wetland Plants
Hundreds of plant species are found in Australian Wetlands. Highlighted on this page are just a few of the common ones. Overtime, we hope to build up the number of plants featured on this page.

Common spike rush - eleocharis acuta

• Genus - Cyperaceae - sedge family
• Features - perennial; up to 90cm high, slender waxy stems, 1-2 mm wide, from creeping woody succulent-tipped rhizome.
• Growing position - muddy edges of streams, dams, swamps, drainage lines and seasonal waterholes.
• Growth pattern - dies back in summer if the site dries out, re grows in autumn.
• Functions - traps and aerates fine sediments, protects soil as water recedes.

Sea rush - juncus krausii

• Genus - Juncaceae - rush family
• Features - perennial; culms to 1 m high from a creeping rootstock. inflorescence (in small clusters) deep red when immature - ripening to dark brown.
• Growing position - mostly in saline sites, coastal and inland, and permanently wet positions. Found in-stream in rock reefs in the Mt Lofty Ranges.
• Growth pattern - sends down long anchor roots in watercourse situation.
• Functions - has evolved to handle saline areas.

Finger rush - juncus subsecundus

• Genus - Juncaceae - rush family
• Features - perennial; stems arise from a creeping woody rootstock, to 90cm high. Fine blue grey culm 0.5 - 2.3 mm in diameter.
• Growing position - widespread, including slopes and woodland.
• Growth pattern - creeping rootstock expands clump size especially from spring into summer.
• Functions - not known to author.

Pale rush - juncus pallidus

• Genus - Juncaceae - rush family
• Features - perennial; up to 2 m high, 3-8mm culm width, from a creeping woody rootstock. Pale brown inflorescence.
• Growing position - isolated clumps or masses of clumps in swampy areas beside streams and dams. Commonly found along paddock drainage lines in dense, broad stands.
• Growth pattern - creeping woody roots expand clump size from spring into summer. Mature clump contain many dead culms.
• Functions - effective in slowing streamside water velocity and encouraging the deposition of sediments.

Common reed - phragmites australis

• Genus - Gramineae - grass family
• Features - perennial; rhizomatous; bamboo-like clums up to 3 m high. Inflorescence, a fluffy plume to 40cm.
• Growing position - at the river or dam edge into 2 m of water and high up the banks.
• Growth pattern - dies back with the onset of autumn frosts and winter chill. Reed beds chopped up and cleaned out by winter flooding. New shoots appear in late winter. Extensive emergent growth in spring. Very deep-rooted; forms extensive reed beds.
• Functions - Protects edges from wave action and winter high water. Reduces water velocity, traps branch and bark debris and encourages deposition of sediments.

Information sourced from the Mt Lofty Ranges Catchment Program/Land Management Program Fact Sheets - Native Aquatic Plants