{{short description|Species of plant}} {{Speciesbox |taxon = Lomandra rigida |image = |authority = Labill. |synonyms = ''Xerotes rigida'' (Labill.) R.Br. |synonyms_ref= |}}
'''''Lomandra rigida''''', commonly known as '''stiff mat rush''', is a herbaceous perennial plant endemic to the southern coast of Southwest Australia.
== Taxonomy == First described by Jacques Labillardière in 1805, using specimens he obtained while voyaging along the Australian coast. The type specimen is noted as collected "in terrâ Van-Leuwin".<ref name="APNI" /> The species was assigned to genus ''Xerotes'' by Robert Brown in 1810, this combination is currently regarded as a synonym for the original description.<ref name="APC" />
== Description == A mat forming perennial plant, growing to a height between 0.1 and 0.3 metres.<ref name="FloraBase" /> They are a dioecious species, separated as male and female individuals, that present cream or yellow flowers around October to December.<ref name="FloraBase" /> The leaves terminate in a pair of spines.<ref name="Nikulinsky" />
== Ecology== Endemic to sand on granitic outcrops at the coast of the eastern Esperance Plains and offshore islands at the Recherche Archipelago.<ref name="Nikulinsky" /><ref name="APNI" /> The dense and spiny mats formed by the plant provides habitat for other organisms and a deterrent to herbivores, the assemblage of plants may include ''Caladenia heberleana'' and ''Anthocercis vicosa'' subsp. ''caudata''.<ref name="Nikulinsky" />
==References== {{Reflist|1|refs= <ref name="APC">{{cite web |title=APC Format - Lomandra rigida |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/93052 |website=biodiversity.org.au |accessdate=15 December 2018}}</ref> <ref name="APNI">{{cite web |title=APNI - Lomandra rigida |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/name/apni/93052/api/apni-format |website=biodiversity.org.au |accessdate=15 December 2018}}</ref> <ref name="FloraBase">{{FloraBase|id=1241}}</ref> <ref name="Nikulinsky">{{cite book |last1=Nikulinsky |first1=P. |last2=Hopper |first2=S.D. |author1link=Philippa Nikulinsky | author2link=Stephen Hopper |title=Life on the rocks : the art of survival |date=2008 |publisher=Fremantle Press |isbn=9781921361289 |edition=Revised |pages = 178–79 }}</ref> }}
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rigida Category:Asparagales of Australia Category:Flora of Western Australia Category:Garden plants of Australia Category:Plants described in 1805