Carex divisa Huds.
Slender tufts; rhizome thick, woody, often far-extending. Stems 20-60- (80) cm, 3-angled, scabrid towards top, slender and wiry. Leaves 1-3.5 mm wide, usually < stems, flat to channelled, grey-green, sheaths very light brown. Inflorescence 1-4 cm long, of up to 8 contiguous dark brown sessile spikes; bract < to > inflorescence, setaceous. Spikes androgynous, male flowers at top. Glumes = or > utricles, broadly ovate, acuminate, dark brown with lighter brown midrib. Utricles ± 4 × 2 mm, broadly ovoid, plano-convex many-nerved, very light brown, abruptly narrowed to a bifid beak 0.5 - c. 1 mm long with smooth margins; stipe minute. Stigmas 2. Nut suborbicular, biconvex.
N. North Auckland - Kerikeri Inlet, near Warkworth; Auckland - Auckland City, Miranda, Kaiaua, Tauranga. S. Marlborough - Havelock; Otago - Maniototo Plain. Damp ground, often in brackish water on coast just above high tide level. (Europe, S. Africa)
First record: Mueller 1874: 256, as "C. chlorantha R. Br."
First collection: Waitemata, T. Kirk, Nov. 13, 1871 (WELT 44260, AK 96859).
Strongly rhizomatous, tolerant of saline soil conditions and restricted to coastal localities, except for the single occurrence in inland Otago. C. divisa could prove troublesome should it spread to saline soils in other parts of Central Otago.
