Flora of New Zealand Series

Chaetospora tenax Hook. f. Fl. N.Z.  1,  1853,  273.

Schoenus tenax (Hook. f.) Hook. f. Handbk N.Z. Fl.  1864,  298.

S. brevifolius subsp. tenax (Hook. f.) Kük. in Fedde Repert. Spec. nov. Regn. veg. 44, 1938, 69.

S. brevifolius R. Br. var. tenax (Hook. f.) Koyama in J. Fac. Sci. Tokyo Univ. (Bot.) 8, 1961, 126.

Type locality: Australian. Type: K. Recorded also from New Caledonia and the Bonin Is.

Rush-like; rhizome coarse, woody, up to 8 mm. diam., covered with closely appressed, dark red, almost black, shining bracts. Culms 50–80–(100) cm. long, slightly < 2 mm. diam., closely packed, erect, rigid, smooth, green and shining, often shallowly grooved on one side. Lvs reduced to 3–4 very dark red, hard, mucronate sheaths, the 2 uppermost with a short, subulate, erect lamina; orifice of sheath not ciliate. Panicle (8)–12–20–(30) cm. long, very narrow, upright and stiff, occ. bent at the top, with ± distant fascicles of 3–5 branchlets, each fascicle subtended by a short sheath similar to those at base of culm; branchlets flexuous, flattened, with scabrid edges, often branched again, sheaths subtending secondary branchlets ciliate at the mouth. Spikelet terminating each branchlet 9–12 mm. long, 2–3–(4)-fld, lanceolate, red-brown Glumes 7–10–(14), ovate-lanceolate, acute, margins ciliate towards the tip, 4–6 lower glumes smaller, empty, 2–3 succeeding glumes fertile, uppermost 2–3 glumes sterile. Hypog. bristles 0. Stamens us. 2, occ. 3. Style-branches 3. Nut c. 1.5 × 1 mm., turgid, surface rugose, cream.

DIST.: N. From North Cape southwards to c. lat. 38º. local further south. S. Nelson.

In boggy ground, occ. in scrub, from sea level to 450 m. altitude.

Chaetospora tenax Hook. f. was described as occurring in "North and Middle Islands. Dry hills abundant, Cunningham, etc.". Lectotype: K, Dry Hills, New Zealand, J. D. Hooker.

Kükenthal (loc. cit.) recognised a N.Z. subsp. tenax distinct from Australian subsp. brevifolius in having a longer panicle and longer infl.-branchlets and spikelets, and in having us. 2 stamens instead of 3.