Mesomelaena tetragona

Common name: Semaphore Sedge

Meaning of name:

Mesomelaena is from the Greek words mesos, meaning middle, and melaino, meaning to turn black. It refers to the involucral bracts described as dark or black with pale hyaline margins. Tetragona is from the Greek word tetragonos, meaning with four equal angles, square.

Distribution:

Occurs in near-coastal areas of the south west of Western Australia.

Description:

A herb to 80 centimetres tall. Flowers are borne from April to November.

References:

Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings, a Glossary. FA Sharr. 1996.

Flora of the Perth Region. NG Marchant, JR Wheeler, BL Rye, EM Bennett, NS Lander, TD Macfarlane. 1987.

Atlas of Living Australia https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2903256

Florabase https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/957