Flora of New Zealand Series

C. vacillans Boott in Hook. f. Fl. N.Z. 1, 1853, 285 non Drejer in Hartm. Excurs. Fl. 1846, 131.

Type locality: Norsewood. Type: WELT, 1213, W. Colenso.

Tufts rather dark green, rather stiff. Culms 10–45–(60) cm. × c. 1 mm.; basal sheaths dark red-purple. Lvs c. = or somewhat > culms, 2.5–6 mm. wide, double-folded, keel and margins scabrid. Infl. of 4–6 spikes; terminal spike male, often compound, with female fls intermixed in the secondary spikes; remaining spikes female with a few male fls at the base, c. = or slightly > male spikes, 1.5–8.5 cm. × 3–4 mm., uppermost spikes close set, ± pedunculate, lowermost spikes distant and drooping on slender, almost filiform peduncles; subtending bracts lf-like, much > infl., almost = foliage lvs in width. Glumes ± = or slightly < utricles, bright red-purple, rather membr., deciduous, lanceolate, subacute or almost emarginate, midrib produced to a scabrid awn. Utricles 3–4 × c. 1 mm., triquetrous, fusiform, conspicuously ribbed with pale veins, margins smooth, pale grey below, above bright red and narrowed ± abruptly to a beak c. 1.5 mm. long with scabrid orifice; stipe c. 0.5 mm. long. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 2 mm. long, trigonous, elliptic-oblong, grey-brown.

DIST.: N. Between lat. 35º and 38º, scattered further south to lat. 41º.

In shade, often at foot of cliffs or on stream banks to 450 m. altitude.

C. vacillans Boott : no specimens have been seen but the original locality cited was "Northern Island; common in moist woods, Banks and Solander".