Gahnia aspera known as the rough saw-sedge or round sawsedge is a tussock forming perennial plant, often seen in moist situations. The long strap like leaves grow to 80 cm long. Originally described by botanist Robert Brown as Lampocarya aspera in his 1810 work Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, it was placed in its current genus by German botanist Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel in 1825. Its specific name aspera is the Latin adjective asper "rough". The seeds were used by Aboriginal Australians to make a kind of flour.