Flora of New Zealand Series

C. dissita Boott var. ochrosaccus C. B. Clarke ex Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 831.

Original localities: "Whangarei, Carse! Kaipara, Kirk! vicinity of Auckland, T.F.C." Lectotype: AK, 2776, St Heliers, Auckland, T.F.C., Nov. 1882 (56 to Kükenthal).

Densely tufted; robust, 45–100 cm. tall. Culms 1–1.5 mm. diam., trigonous, smooth; basal sheaths red-brown, yellow-brown or grey-brown. Lvs > culms, 3–4 mm. wide, double-folded, light green, glossy, margins slightly scabrid. Spikes 5–7; terminal 1–(2) spikes male, occ. mixed with female fls; remaining spikes female, 1.5–6 cm. × 5–7 mm., shortly pedunculate, erect, distant, the lower often compound. Glumes (excluding awn) < utricles, ovate, acute or emarginate, pale cream flecked with small brown striae, membr., midrib green, produced to a very fine scabrid awn c. ½ length of glume. Utricles 2.5–3 × c. 1 mm., ellipsoid, turgid, light yellow-brown, occ. darker brown, especially towards the top, distinctly nerved, margins near the top finely scabrid, gradually tapering to the narrow bifid beak, c. 0.5 mm. long, orifice scabrid. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 1.5 mm. long, trigonous, light brown.

DIST.: N. Between lat. 35º and 38º; local further south.

Lowland in forest, scrub or swamps, us. not far from the coast.

The sp. may be distinguished from C. dissita and C. lambertiana by the light cream glumes and distinctly nerved utricles.