Flora of New Zealand Series

Dense rigid tufts to 7 cm high. Stems erect, ± 0.5 mm diam. Leaves much < to ± = stems, 1-3, rigid, setaceous; sheaths very pale brown, tinged red at mouth or entirely red-brown. Inflorescence apparently lateral, 1-4 spikelets; bract > spikelets, to 1.5 cm long, rigid. Spikelets 2.5-4 mm long, elliptical or ovoid, dark markings conspicuous. Glumes 1.5-2 mm long, rigid, boat-shaped, incurved, yellow with a large red-brown patch on each side towards tip, marked with deeply incised curved lines, strongly keeled, keel green towards ± excurrent tip. Hypogynous bristles 0. Stamens 3. Stigmas 3. Nut ± 1 mm long, trigonous, bright yellow to yellow-brown, occasionally with a black tip.

N. Auckland - Auckland City, Mt Maunganui; Egmont Coast; Wellington - Paekakariki, Hutt Valley, near Wellington City, Wairarapa.S. N.W. Nelson; Marlborough - Wither Hills and near Rarangi; Canterbury - local. Both in dry places in sandy or stony ground and in poor depleted pasture, or in damper pakihi grassland. (S. Africa, Australia, S. America)

First record: Hooker 1853: 271, as Isolepis cartilaginea Br. [S. cartilagineus (R. Br.) Sprengel].

First collection: New Zealand, Colenso, undated (K).