TRIGLOCHIN - WATER RIBBONS

Triglochin procera is an aquatic Australian native plant in the family Juncaginaceae, with common names: Water ribbons, Nareli, and Pol-an-go. Aborigines use the tubers as food, either raw or roasted; the fruits are also edible. Here it is seen growing in the Darebin Parklands in Fairfield.

It has stems 20-50cm high and is a robust, tufted perennial herb with thick roots ending in cylindric tubers. Leaves and stems are erect, leaves bending down to float with the current, more erect in still water. The leaves are long, glossy, ribbon-like erect to floating leaves 3.5m x 40mm, thick and spongy at base. The greenish-white flowers are borne August to April on a dense terminal spike 6-50cm x 17-40mm with 50-320 small flowers. Fruits are round to elliptical, longer than broad, segments attached over most of their length, straight to spiralling around each other.

This aquatic plant grows in fresh, slow-flowing water to 2m deep and in permanent swamps and streams or in areas which may dry out briefly, when plants are smaller. It grows in full sun to semi-shade. In the garden it makes for an attractive plant for flowing water, leaves moving with the current. Also suitable for small pools.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.