Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Australian. Type: BM.

Rhizome creeping, very stout and woody, 1–1.5 cm. diam. Culms 30–90 cm. × 4–12 mm., in a close-packed, linear series, with internal transverse septa externally distinct at intervals of 1–10 cm., interspersed with septa not visible externally; basal sheaths grey, papery, with an oblique orifice; roots c. 2 mm. diam., red-brown, in a group of up to 5 from the base of each culm. Spikelet (2)–2.5–5–(7) × 0.5–1 cm., cylindrical, with an acute tip. Lowest glume sterile, almost completely surrounding base of spikelet, very short; upper glumes ∞, closely imbricate, 6–8 mm. long, obovate-oblong, obtuse, not keeled but with a strong median nerve and ∞ fine lateral nerves. Hypog. bristles 6–10, us. > nut, with rather large, sparse, retrorse teeth. Stamens 3. Style normally 3-fid, occ. stigmas 2, or all connate to the tip. Nut 2–2.5 mm. long (excluding persistent style-base), orbicular, biconvex, the surface covered with hexagonal reticulations, pale brown, surmounted by the persistent, dark brown, conic, swollen base of the style.

DIST.: N. Throughout, but less common south of lat. 39º. S. Marlborough, Nelson, Westland, Southland near Invercargill; very rare in Canterbury. St.

In very wet places and on lake edges in acid soils, rhizome and us. lower part of culm submerged in water; sea level to c. 800 m. altitude.

J. B. Armstrong (T.N.Z.I. 12, 1880, 344) recorded the sp. as occurring in Canterbury but there were no specimens in the Armstrong herb. at CANTY to support this record. Recently E. sphacelata was collected in Canterbury again, CANU 8179, Unknown R., Wilberforce Valley, deep pool in bog, C. J. Burrows, Aug., 1964.