Lepidosperma canescens (common name hoary rapier-sedge) is a sedge of the family Cyperaceae that is native to south-east South Australia and Victoria. There are no synonyms.
Lepidosperma canescens is a clump-forming perennial with short rhizomes. It has terete, rigid, erect, and smooth culms which are 25âÂÂ100 cm by 0.8âÂÂ2.0 mm. The leaf-blades are similar to the culms but usually shorter and from 0.7âÂÂ2 mm in diameter. The sheaths are yellow-brown to dark grey-brown, and are sometimes a dark reddish near the apex. They are not sticky. The inflorescences are fan-shaped to oblong. They are loose, erect, and 3âÂÂ8 cm by about 2 cm. The involucral bract is shorter than the inflorescence. The spikelets are 5âÂÂ7 mm long. The nut is obovoid (2âÂÂ3 mm by 1.0âÂÂ1.3 mm), and brown, smooth, and shining.
This sedge was used by Aborigines for weaving artefacts, and is used by the aboriginal artist, Yvonne Koolmatrie, for her weaving.