Carex spicata Huds.
Stems to 70 cm high, slender. Leaves to 3 mm wide, flat; sheaths often tinged with reddish-purple; ligule ± 4 mm long, much longer than broad. Inflorescence ± 3 cm long, of up to 8 sessile greenish-brown contiguous spikes; bracts, if present, setaceous. Spikes androgynous, male flowers at top. Glumes < utricles, ovate, acute to acuminate, reddish-brown with green midrib. Utricles 4-5 × 2 mm, narrowly ovate, greenish, corky and often furrowed when dry but not nerved at base, gradually tapered to a beak ± 1.5 mm long with finely scabrid margins. Stigmas 2. Nut broad-oblong.
S. Marlborough - Pelorus Sound (c. 1890), Kenepuru Sound (1955); South Canterbury - Cave (1956). (Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia)
First record: Kirk 1891b: 449, in a note under "C. muricata Linn." that "Mr J. Rutland . . . has recently sent specimens of the large form of this species known as C. contigua Hoppe, from a grass-paddock near Havelock".
First collection: Near Havelock, Pelorus Sound, J. Rutland (WELT 44261) and Pelorus Sound, J. Rutland (AK 97112) both undated.
