Flora of New Zealand Series

Shortly rhizomatous; tufts dense, bright green. Culms c. 0.5 mm. diam., triquetrous, smooth; basal sheaths chestnut. Lvs 3–5 per culm, wiry, striated, scabrid towards the acute tip. Infl. a compound spike, pale green or pale brown. Spikes androgynous, male fls terminal, occ. absent in the lower spike. Glumes = or slightly >, rarely < utricles, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate or acute, membr., light brown or almost colourless, midrib light green, prominent in the lowermost glumes and often scabrid towards the tip. Utricles 4–4.5 × c. 1 mm., plano-convex, elliptic-obovoid, ± papillose, strongly nerved slightly winged; beak 1.5–2 mm. long, scabrid on the margins, orifice oblique, bifid; stipe minute or absent. Stigmas 2. Nut c. 2 mm. long, plano-convex, oblong, shortly stipitate.