488 
Telopea 8(4): 2000 
Type: Western Australia: Oldfield R., 61.7 km E of Ravensthorpe, 0.5 km N of bridge 
on Hassell Hwy, B. Briggs 9343, J. Pate & K. Meney, 3 Oct 1995 9 (holo NSW; iso MO, 
NBG, PERTH). 
Forming diffuse patches of widely separated culms arising singly or several together 
from long slender horizontal or ascending rhizomes which are up to at least 30 cm 
long, 1.2-2.5 mm diam, internodes 1-3 cm long. Culms 15-50 cm tall, 0.8-1.5 mm 
diam.; intemodes 1.5-7 cm long; young culms pink, turning blue-green; old culms 
grey-green, glaucous, rigid and wiry', branched from near base, a single lateral branch 
per node. Sheaths erect, oblong-spathulate, broadest toward the apex, slightly lax, 
scarious, red-brown, 0.7-1.5 cm long, truncate, auriculate; lamina 0.5-3 mm long. 
Inflorescence branches singly at upper nodes; flowers in clusters of 2-4 at the apex of 
inflorescence branches, subtended by broad-deltoid, hyaline bracts almost as long as 
the flowers. Male and female flowers 1.5-3 mm long, outer tepals 1.6-2.0 mm long, 
inner tepals 2.0-2.6 mm long. Fruit ovoid, c. 2.7 mm long. Chromosome number: 2 n = 18 
(Briggs unpublished, voucher Briggs 358). (Fig. 4.) 
The epithet is from the Latin adscendens, ascending, referring to the rhizomes. 
Distribution: occurs in Western Australia in a few locations from Chillinup (NE of 
Albany) to the Esperance district. Grows in heath on sand or peaty sand in the 
floodplain of watercourses in a region of moderately' low rain fall, often with eucalypts, 
Banksia and Nuytsia. The occurrence of male and female plants suggests that 
individual clones may be as large as 200 m across. Regenerates after fire by 
resprouting. 
Conservation status: endangered (CALM code R), limited to an uncommon habitat 
type and occurring in regions of much clearing of natural vegetation and salinisation 
(Meney, Pate, Dixon, Briggs & Johnson 1999; Pate 2000). Listed as at some risk but 
poorly known (code 3K) by Briggs and Leigh (1996), but this appears to understate the 
threats to this species. 
Specimens examined: Western Australia: Eyre: 9 km E of Chillinup Homestead, Nezvbey 4882, Oct 
1975 (PERTH); Oldfield R. (details as for type), Briggs 9342 et al. 6 (NSW, MO, NBG); c. 18 km 
NNW of Young River crossing on Ravensthorpe -Esperance main road, Jackson 1437, 16 Oct 1968 
<3 (AD, NSW); Lort River, c. 65 km W of Esperance, Orchard 1472, 11 Oct 1968 S (AD, NSW, 
PERTH); Lort R., Esperance -Ravensthorpe Rd, Briggs 426 ,11 Sep 1966 6 (NSW, PERTH), Meney 
393, 5 Mar 1993 6 (NSW); 40 miles [67 km] W of Esperance on Ravensthorpe road, Briggs 420, 
11 Sep 1966 $ (NSW, K, PERTH), 421 6 (NSW, PERTH); 18 km NNW of Young R. crossing on 
Ravensthorpe-Esperance Rd, Jackson 1437 ,16 Oct 1968 6 (PERTH, K, NSW); c. 10 miles [16 km) E 
of Esperance on Cape Le Grand road, c. 1.5 miles [3 km] W of Cape Le Grand turn-off, Briggs 358, 
9 Sep 1966 6 (NSW, MEL), 358a (NSW). 
Description of Lyginiaceae and revision of Lyginia 
Lyginiaceae B.G. Briggs & L.A.S. Johnson, fam. nov. 
Herbae dioeciae, perennes, rhizomatosae vel caespitosae; culmi teretes; folia 
dorsiventralia, reducta, vaginiformi; flores tepalis 6; flores masculi staminibus 3; 
antherae bilobatae, dorsifixae, sporangiis 4, utroque lobo per rimam longitudinalem 
dehiscentes; filamenta antherarum connata; grana pollinium aperturis angustis; flores 
feminei ovario triloculari; ovulum unicum in quoque loculo; stylus crassus, in dimidio 
superiore 3-partitus; fructus capsularis, triloculatus, loculicidus; semina alba, spiculis 
minutis et crista mediana ornata. 
Type and only genus: Lyginia R. Br. 
