Carex jackiana

Rhizome long; shoots ± densely tufted, often forming a dense sward to c. 1 m or more in diam. Culms very short, hidden amongst leaves, ± trigonous, ± smooth, 1–6 cm long, c. 0.7 mm diam. Leaves dark green or grey green, much exceeding culms, 5–20(–30) cm long, 2.5–7 mm wide, the margins scabrous; sheath yellow-brown; ligule obtuse to retuse. Inflorescence narrow, erect, 1–3 cm long, with 3–7 spikes solitary at nodes; lowest involucral bracts exceeding inflorescence. Spikes sessile, contiguous, erect at maturity, 0.8–1.5 cm long; uppermost spike entirely male or rarely with female flowers above; lower spikes female; glumes acute to acuminate, often long-mucronate (mucro to 2 mm long), whitish to pale red-brown with green midrib; female glumes 2.5–5 mm long, deciduous at maturity; utricles 4–6.5 mm long, 1.3–2.5 mm diam., fusiform-ellipsoid, thickened at base, faintly many-nerved, gradually tapering to the long conical beak, glabrous, greenish to pale yellow-brown, deciduous at maturity; beak 1–2 mm long, with apex notched to split; style 3-fid. Nut obovoid to ellipsoid, trigonous, pale yellow-brown or pale brown. Flowers summer.