Flora of New Zealand Series

Type locality: Australian.

Rhizomatous; tufts often low-growing, close-packed, bright green. Culms hidden among lvs, us. 1–2 cm. long; basal sheaths dull brown. Lvs much > culms, 1.5–2.5–(3) mm. wide, grasslike, recurved, channelled, margins exceedingly finely and closely scabrid almost throughout. Spikes 2–5, approximate, pale green; terminal spike male, us. sessile; remaining spikes female, occ. with a few male fls at the top, 6–9 mm. long, ± pedunculate, clustered round base of male spike; subtending bracts lf-like, very narrow-linear, the uppermost almost filiform, margins finely scabrid. Glumes > utricles, ovate, pale green, almost white, membr., midrib green, stiff, thickened, produced to a stout, finely hispid awn. Utricles c. 2.5 × 1 mm., biconvex or subtrigonous, fusiform, pale yellow-green, faintly many-nerved, pubescent all over; beak slightly narrowed, pale green, c. 0.5 mm. long, orifice ± truncate; stipe c. 0.3 mm. long, often much contracted. Stigmas 3. Nut c. 1.5 mm. long, obtusely trigonous, oblong, obovoid, light brown, surmounted by a minute, persistent, dilated style-base.

DIST.: N. Northern and central regions, rare elsewhere. S. Throughout on the eastern side to lat. 45º 30'; also very rarely in Nelson.

Also recorded from New Guinea, Lord Howe Id and Celebes.

In grassland to 1,200 m. altitude.

Plants growing under favourable conditions, or in cultivation, become larger with culms to 8 cm. long, lvs to 25 cm. long, and utricles to 3 mm. long. The spikes are less closely clustered and the glumes may also become very long-awned.

C. breviculmis may flower in September, about 2 months earlier than most Carex spp. and is easily recognised by the pubescent utricles.