Flora of New Zealand Series

C. littoralis Petrie in T.N.Z.I. 15, 1883, 358 non Krock. Fl. siles. 3, 1814, 163.

C. australis Kirk in T.N.Z.I. 26, 1894, 262 non Link ex Boeck. in Linnaea 41, 1877, 178.

Original localities (for C. littoralis): Paterson's Inlet, Stewart Island; Otago Harbour. Lectotype: WELT, 12275, Stewart Id; selected by Hamlin (Rec. Dom. Mus., Wellington 6, 1968, 106).

Densely tufted, pale green, sts reddish. Culms 9–65–(80) cm. × c. 1 mm., erect, terete, often slightly compressed, glab.; basal sheaths grey-brown, rarely reddish black. Lvs = or > culms, 1–1.5 mm. wide, narrow-linear, plano-convex, gradually tapering, with margins slightly serrated towards the subobtuse tip; sheath c. twice width of lamina, dull brown. Infl. of 3–5 light brown, erect spikes; terminal spike male, very pale brown and slender; remaining spikes female, with a few male fls at the tip and base, 1–2 cm. long, ovate, ± approximate or the lowest often more distant, sessile or very shortly pedunculate. Glumes ± = or slightly < utricles, ovate-lanceolate, acute to cuspidate, membr., chestnut-brown with paler brown midrib and margins. Utricles c. 3 × 1.5 mm., unequally biconvex, turgid, ovate-lanceolate, surface smooth or slightly nerved, brownish, slightly tapering to a wide beak c. 1 mm. long, margins glab., orifice broad, shallowly bidentate, very slightly scabrid; stipe minute. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 2 mm. long, trigonous, obovoid.

DIST.: N. North Auckland and Auckland; near Wellington. S. Scattered throughout, common near Dunedin and in Fiordland. St.

Coastal in brackish marshes.

C. australis Kirk was based on plants from Glory Cove, Stewart Id. Lectotype: WELT, 12280, T. Kirk 1297, 9/1/1882; isotypes at AK and K.

The erect light brown spikelets and the glab. utricles with very broad orifice are distinctive features of this sp.