Flora of New Zealand Series

C. recurva Schkuhr Riedgr. 1, 1801, 120, t. Z et Nn, f. 84 non Huds. Fl. Angl. 1778, 413.

C. punctulata A. Rich. Essai Fl. N.Z.  1832,  119, t. 22.

C. semiforsteri C. B. Clarke in Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl.  1906,  836.

Type: K, Forster.

Large lfy tufts. Culms up to 70 cm. long, 1–2.5 mm. diam., trigonous, smooth or occ. slightly scabrid below infl.; basal sheaths dark red-brown. Lvs much > culms, up to 120 cm. long, 3–12 mm. wide, double-folded, keel and margins scabrid. Infl. of 4–6–(8) spikes; terminal 1–3 spikes wholly or partly male; remaining spikes female with some male fls at the base, (2.5)–6–11 cm. × 5–11 mm., ± distant, ± pedunculate, lowest peduncles often long and slender and spikes drooping, green to grey-green. Glumes 2–5 mm. long, lanceolate, gradually tapering to a scabrid awn, membr., light brown, with a narrow green midrib. Utricles = or slightly > glumes, 4–5 × c. 1 mm., subtrigonous, lanceolate, slightly reflexed, turgid towards the base, distinctly many-nerved, greenish brown, gradually tapering to a beak 1.5–2 mm. long with an oblique, bifid, scabrid orifice. Stigmas 3. Nut 1.5–2 mm. long, trigonous, elliptic-obovoid, cream to dark brown.

DIST.: N. Scattered throughout but more common near Wellington. S. Common in Marlborough Sounds and on Banks Peninsula, scattered elsewhere to as far south as lat. 46º; not recorded from Westland or Fiordland.

Us. in forest, often in clearings, or on stream- or roadside-banks, from sea level to 600 m. altitude.

Hamlin (T.R.S.N.Z. 85, 1958, 390) noted that C. forsteri Wahl. was based on C. recurva Schkuhr and chose a Forster specimen at K as lectotype.

C. punctulata A. Rich. The original locality was given as "crescit in Nova-Zeelandia"; type: P? Richard's t. 22 illustrates well the characteristic long-beaked, strongly nerved utricle of C. forsteri.

C. semiforsteri C. B. Clarke was described as differing from C. forsteri only in having female fls at the top of the terminal male spike. The lectotype, K. near Patea, Colenso 1622 (isotype at AK) was chosen by Hamlin (T.R.S.N.Z. 85, 1958, 389) who did not regard the Kermadec Is plants cited by Clarke as conspecific with C. semiforsteri and C. forsteri.

C. forsteri may be distinguished from other wide-lvd spp. with pedunculate spikes by the oblique orifice of the utricle.