Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Taumutu, near outlet of Lake Ellesmere. Type: CHR, J. Clarke, 9/2/1966, in drift.

Rhizome relatively unimportant; stems often long, us. with abundant ± zigzag branching. Lvs (4)–10–15–(20) cm. × (0.2)–0.4–0.5–(0.7) mm., bright to olive green, almost filiform but broad-oblong in T.S.; apex bidentate, often most minutely denticulate; sheath (1)–1.5–2.5–(4) cm. long, auriculate. Peduncles to 30 cm. long, often reddish, not notably thicker below fls, becoming spirally coiled as fr. matures. Fls protandrous; carpels 4, occ. 5–6 in upper fl. Podogynes stout, tapering towards base. Achenes 4–4.5–(5) mm. long, gibbous, olive-green, sts red-punctate; mesocarp thick; endocarp tuberculate, black, with 2 triangular apertures opp. to and about on level of top of operculum; beak c. 1.3 mm. long. 2n = 20.

DIST.: N., S.

Saline ponds and lagoons, almost strictly coastal.

FL. 10–2. FT. 11–4.