Carex sylvatica Huds.

Tufts light green, often dense, shortly rhizomatous, to 60 cm tall. Stems slender, ± 3-angled, smooth, often drooping, elongating to ± 1.2 m at maturity. Leaves < stems, 2–4 mm wide, soft, ± flat; sheaths hyaline, outer ones dark brown. Inflorescence with ± longer narrow leaf-like bracts below and short setaceous bracts above; spikes distant, very narrow, on much longer scabrid filiform drooping peduncles. Male spike usually 1, ± 3 cm × 1.5 mm; glumes narrow-ovate, acute, keel scabrid. Female spikes 3–5, ± 3 cm × 3 mm, very lax-flowered; glumes < utricles, ovate, acute to acuminate, hyaline, light brown with green scabrid midrib. Utricles 4–5 × 1 mm, green to brown, membranous, ellipsoid, trigonous, with two prominent lateral nerves, beak ± 2 mm long, very narrow, sparingly scabrid, bifid; stipe short. Stigmas 3. Nut ellipsoid, trigonous.

[From: Healy and Edgar (1980) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 3.]