Flora of New Zealand Series

Cladium complanatum Bergg. in Minneskr. fisiogr. Sällsk. Lund  1878,  Art. 8, 23, t. 6, f. 1–5.

Machaerina complanata (Bergg.) Koyama in Bot. Mag., Tokyo 69,  1956,  63.

Original localities: "in locis subhumidis inter Leptospermum scoparium ad Ohaeawai et ad Taheke insulae borealis Novae Zelandiae." Lectotype: WELT, 20642, Ohaeawai, S. Berggren, Oct., 1874; isotype at K, and also a piece in the Buchanan collection at OTA.

Tufted and lfy. Culms 50–90 cm. × c. 3 mm., smooth, ± compressed. Lvs ± = culms, 4–8 mm. wide, flat, distichous, isobilateral equitant, striated, pale green, tip acute, margins glab. Panicle 15–50 cm. long, narrow, erect from a long sheath with short lamina; branchlets flexible, fascicled from upper sheaths. Spikelets , c. 5 mm. 1ong, light red-brown, 2–3-fld, 1–2 fls fertile. Glumes 5–6, ovate, acuminate or acute, chartaceous, striped with brown, scabrid on back towards tip, margins minutely ciliate. Nut, including beak, c. 4 × 2 mm., trigonous, red-brown, very shortly stipitate, narrowed above to a long, triquetrous, scabrid beak.

DIST.: N. Local only, north of c. lat. 38º. Bay of Islands, and Whangarei Country.

Lowland in damp ground among Leptospermum scrub.