Scientific Name: Lomandra longifolia

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  • Pronunciation:
    lo-MAND-rah lon-gah-FOAL-ee-ah
  • Common Name:
    Mat-rush
  • Derivation:
    Lomandra: |longifolia:
  • Type:
    Herb , Clumping perennial
  • Family:
    XANTHORRHOEACEAE
  • Flowers:
    cream
  • Fruit:
    capsule, 5 mm.
  • Vegetation Type:
    Seacoast
  • Species List:
    EdingtonDr, Cooroibah, Weyba Esp, Plants for Coastal Gardens, Bush food, Craft, Biosphere Day Noosa Woods, Weyba Nature Refuge, Eumarella Rd., Mooloolaba TAFE, Boreen Point Caravan Park, Wooroi Day Use Area Tracks, NNP service road, Cooroibah 26.4.09, Wooroi Palm Grove, Cooloothin Corner, Banana, Old Tewantin, Tewantin Forest Gyndier, Fraser Island, Mill Point, Cooroibah Conservation Park, Cooroibah Bushland Reserve, Cranks Creek, NNS, Boreen Point,TAFE NNP Tanglewood Noosa Banks NNP Coastal Noosa River NP BHNR, Stratford Park, Heritage Park, Wallace Park,
Cultural Notes

TAKE CARE! Some information about bush foods and medicines may be anecdotal. Correct identification and preparation is essential:

Tough leaves used for making baskets, as well as ligatures in case of injury. Settlers in Port Macquarie used the leaves for tying up grape vines.

Bush food. White leaf bases eaten.The bases of mat rush leaves taste like green peas

Provided the Cadigal (NSW aboriginal tribe) with seeds which were ground into a flour to make cakes. The tender leaf bases were eaten and have a pea-like flavour. (Sydney Botanic Gardens)

Identification Notes

Leaf tip shape. (see photograph)||

Associated Fauna

Butterfly host plant: Common white spot skipper, Eliena skipper, Laccus skipper, Rare white spot skipper, Symmomus skipper

Landscaping Notes

Noosa Council Preferred Species list. Moist sheltered situation in part shade. |Useful for erosion control - can grow in wet soils.||Successfully propagated by Tin Can Bay City Farm Nursery.|Successfully propogated by Noosa & District Landcare.|Successfully propagated by Florabunda Bushcare nursery Woombye|Successfully propagated by Mooloolah Native Nursery|||Suitable for waterway bank rehabilitation ||Indoor pot plant potential.||Successfully propagated by Barung Landcare||