Isolepis aucklandica

Small clump-forming perennial, with short filiform rhizome. Culms filiform, to 12 cm high. Leaves reduced, shorter than culms. Spikelet 1(–2), 1–2.5 mm long; involucral bract much longer than spikelet, caducous, with base partially enclosing spikelet; glumes acute, not or scarcely mucronate, sides irregularly several-nerved, pale brown often dotted or tinged dark red-brown, deciduous, 1.2–2 mm long; stamens 3, rarely fewer in upper flowers; anthers 0.5–0.8 mm long; style 3-fid. Nut unequally trigonous, with angles acute, ellipsoid, minutely reticulate, shining, pale yellow to grey-brown, from two-thirds to three-quarters as long as glume, 0.8–1.5 mm long, 0.6–0.9 mm diam., often persistent on bare rachilla. Flowers summer.