Stout tussock-forming perennial. Culms trigonous, smooth, 100–180 cm high, to 8 mm diam. Leaves not septate-nodulose, as long as culms or longer, 5–15 mm wide. Inflorescence compound, with 5–10 primary branches to 18 cm long; spikes narrow-cylindric, 2–5 cm long, 0.5–1.5 cm diam.; involucral bracts leaf-like, 4–6 to 90 cm long. Spikelets flattened, numerous per spike, 4–18 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, 6–44-flowered; rachilla broadly winged, persistent; glumes obtuse, mucronate, with sides ± nerveless, yellow to dark yellow-brown, 1.5–2.0 mm long; stamens 3; style 3-fid. Nut trigonous, ellipsoid, yellow-brown, less than one-half as long as glume, 0.6–0.8 mm long, 0.3–0.5 diam. Flowers spring–summer.
MuM, VVP, VRiv, MSB, RobP, MuF, OtP, Gold, CVU, NIS, HSF, HNF, VAlp. All mainland States. Asia, Africa, ?South America. In shallow water and on banks of streams and lagoons; widespread in the north, rare south of the Great Dividing Range (Bairnsdale area).
Source:
Wilson, K.L. (1994). Cyperaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 238–356. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
