Flora of New Zealand Series

Original localities: "Auckland—Swamps at Whangarei and between the Manukau Harbour and the Waikato River, H. Carse! Papatoetoe, Kirk! Taranaki—Ngaire Swamp, T.F.C." Lectotype: AK, 2180, Maungatapere, Whangarei, H. Carse, 25/1/1899. Recorded also from Australia.

Rush-like; rhizome short, up to 3 mm. diam., with closely appressed, dark red-purple bracts. Culms 60–90 cm. long, us. slightly < 1 mm. diam., densely tufted, light green. Lvs reduced to brown, sheathing, mucronate bracts, the mucro more elongated in the uppermost bracts; mouth of sheath not ciliate. Panicle 8–15–(22) cm. long, very slender, with ± distant fascicles of 3–4 branchlets, each fascicle subtended by a short sheath similar to those at base of culm; branchlets filiform, flexuous, laterally compressed, edges not toothed, simple or branched again. Spikelets single at the tips of the branchlets, 7–10 mm. long, 2-fld, very narrow, compressed, linear-lanceolate, grey-brown. Glumes 5–7, closely imbricating, lanceolate, acute, almost entirely hyaline except near the midrib, margins not ciliate, 3–4 lower glumes and uppermost glume empty. Hypog. bristles 0, occ. 3, very minute. Stamens 3. Style-branches 3. Nut c. 2 × 1mm., oblong-ovoid, obtuse, smooth, white.

DIST.: N. In lowland swamps from North Cape Southwards to lat. 38º, some records as far south as c. lat. 40º.

Plate 209 in Cheeseman's Illus. N.Z. Fl. was based on Carse's specimens from Maungatapere.