Annual tufted herb. Culms terete, to 30 cm high, 0.5–1 mm diam. Leaves with blade reduced, rarely to 4 cm long. Inflorescence a cluster of 2–6 sessile spikelets; involucral bract to 15 cm long. Spikelets oblong-ovoid, acute, 5–10 mm long, c. 2 mm diam; glumes obtuse, shortly mucronate, glabrous or sparsely ciliate, pale straw-coloured tinged dark red-brown, 2.5–4 mm long; hypogynous bristles absent; style 2-fid. Nut obovoid, plano-convex, conspicuously transversely rugose with rather broad, rounded ridges, black, 1–1.5 mm long, 1–1.3 mm diam. Flowers spring–summer.
MuM, GipP. Also naturalised in Qld, NSW. Native to Africa. Very rare, if still present in Victoria; known only from 'inundated places, Dimboola Shire' (1895) and 'toward Lake Lalbert' (1853).
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.
