Thamnochortus lucens female inflorescence

The female Thamnochortus lucens inflorescence comprises one to several stiffly erect spikelets per culm, the long, narrow spathes persistent. Female spikelets are from 1 cm to 2 cm long.

The bracts are cartilaginous and pointed, longer than the florets. The perianth tepals of the florets are cartilaginous, the lateral sepals winged. The single style of each floret is brush-like. The fruit is a nutlet that drops off with the perianth attached. The winged sepals are probably relevant in wind dispersal of the seeds.

Male plants grow many spikelets per culm, the subtending spathes small. The spikelets are oblong and narrow, comprising many florets. The florets have papery bracts, longer than themselves. The pale red-brown spikelets are erect when young, later pendulous.

The specific name, lucens, is derived from the Latin word, luceo meaning to shine or to be light, referring to the light-coloured inflorescences (Dorrat-Haaksma and Linder, 2012; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; Andrew, 2017; iNaturalist).