Lepidosperma laterale, commonly known as the variable swordsedge, is a plant found in south-eastern Australia, New Caledonia, and New Zealand.

In 1810, this species first appeared in scientific literature in the Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, written by the prolific Scottish botanist Robert Brown.

The variable swordsedge ranges widely across central and eastern New South Wales as far west as Lockhart.

[2] It is a component of two riparian scrub communities in Tasmania: both are composed of ferns, sedges and heaths, one dominated by Melaleuca squarrosa and Leptospermum lanigerum, the other by Eucalyptus viminalis, E. globulus, E. obliqua and E. amygdalina with Beyeria viscosa and Exocarpos cupressiformis as understory.

[5] Many species of the moth genus Elachista lay their eggs on Lepidosperma laterale and the caterpillars eat the leaves.