New species of Harperia, Loxocarya, 
Onychosepalum, Platychorda and Tremulina 
(Restionaceae) in Western Australia 
247 
Barbara G. Briggs and L.A.S. Johnson 1 
Abstract 
Briggs, Barbara G. and Johnson, L.A.S. (Royal Botanic Gardens, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney, NSW 2000, 
Australia) 2001. Nezu species of Harperia, Loxocarya, Onychosepalum, Platychorda and Tremulina 
(Restionaceae) in Western Australia. Telopea 9(2): 247-257. Five new species of Restionaceae in the 
southern half of Western Australia are described; all having rare, vulnerable or endangered 
conservation status. Harperia eyreana, from the coastal southeast of that State, is the fourth 
species of its genus. Loxocarya gigas, from north of Perth is the largest of Australia's Restionaceae 
and the fifth species now referred to that genus, which until recently was confused with 
Desmocladus. Onychosepalum nodatum, also from north of Perth, brings to three the members of 
its genus. Platychorda rivalis and Tremulina cracens are plants of moist habitats in the south-west; 
the only other members of these genera, P. applanata and T. tremula, were recently excluded from 
Restio. 
Introduction 
The species described below all occur in the southern half of Western Australia. All 
were listed in our classification of Restionaceae (Briggs & Johnson 1999), in advance of 
formal description, and further information on most of them is given by Meney, Pate 
and Hickman (1999), who also provide excellent illustrations. An account of all species 
of the genera concerned will be given in the Flora of Australia (Briggs, Johnson, Porter 
& Krauss, in preparation). 
Descriptions of new species 
Harperia W. Fitzg. 
Until recently Harperia was considered to be monotypic, with only the single species, 
H. lateriflora W. Fitzg. It has been enlarged by the description of the very rare species 
H. ferrugirtipes K.A. Meney & J.S. Pate (Meney et al. 1996) and the transfer from Restio 
of H. confertospicatus (Steud.) B.G. Briggs & L.A.S. Johnson. One further, recently 
discovered, species from the south-east of Western Australia is here described. These 
additional species widen the diversity of features within the genus to include 
caespitose as well as rhizomatous species and ones with much-branched culms, 
whereas the type species shows little culm branching. All share spikelets of generally 
similar form and distinctive culm anatomy with extensive development of 
sclerenchyma in the central ground tissue (Linder et al. 1998; Briggs & Johnson 1999; 
Meney, Pate & Hickman 1999) and all occur in the southern half of Western Australia. 
t Deceased 1 August 1997. 
