Flora of New Zealand Series

C. virgata Boott var. secta (Boott) Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1864, 313.

C. paniculata L. var. secta (Boott) Cheesem. in T.N.Z.I. 16, 1884, 428.

C. appressa R. Br. var. secta (Boott) Kük. in Pflanzenr. 38, 1909, 179.

Tussocks often forming trunk-like bases up to 1 m. × 50 cm., of matted rhizomes, roots and old culm-bases. Culms drooping, trigonous, grooved, harshly scabrid; basal sheaths brown. Lvs = or > culms, drooping, channelled, margins and keel harshly scabrid. Glumes very slightly < utricles, ovate, acuminate, membr., pale brown with a pale straw-coloured midrib and very broad hyaline margins. Utricle 2.5–3 × c. 1.5 mm., plano-convex or unequally biconvex, ovoid, turgid, dark brown, smooth or with faint nerves, shining; beak bifid, 0.5–1 mm. long with winged scabrid margins; stipe c. 0.1 mm. long. Stigmas 2. Nut c. 1.5 mm. long, biconvex, obovoid, light brown.