Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Poales Small
Family
Cyperaceae Juss.
Genus
Isolepis R.Br.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Isolepis cernua (Vahl) Roem. & Schult., Syst. Veg. 106 (1817) var. cernua
 Description

Variable in size, in dense tufts or with a shortly branched ascending rhizome. Culms (2)–6–12–(20) cm. long, us. c. 0.5 mm. diam. or less, but occ. up to 1 mm. diam. Lvs 1–4 or 0, ± = culms, or much < culms, c. 0.5 mm. wide, or often reduced to shortly mucronate sheaths; sheaths dark red-purple at the base, lighter brown towards the truncate orifice. Infl. of 1–(2–3) spikelets; subtending bract ± = or us. slightly > spikelets, 0.3–0.7–(2.5) cm. long, setaceous or lf-like, caducous. Spikelets 2–5 × (1)–1.5–2.5 mm., elliptical, obtuse, almost white, or green, or with red-brown markings. Glumes 1–2 mm. long, broadly ovate, only slightly concave with keel not prominent, obtuse, green to very pale straw coloured, or with red-brown markings at the sides, margins entire, membr., rounded towards the tip, or with the keel at tip of glume somewhat thickened and ± excurrent, lateral nerves conspicuous. Hypog. bristles 0. Stamens 3, rarely 2 or 1 in occasional glumes. Style-branches 3. Nut us. slightly < 1 mm. long, but occ. slightly > 1 mm., c. 0.5 mm. wide, obovoid or occ. elliptical-obovoid, plano-convex, or subtrigonous and obtusely angled at the back, rounded at the tip and sharply apiculate, red-brown or dark grey at maturity, minutely but very distinctly reticulate.

[From: Moore and Edgar (1970) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 2 as Scirpus cernuus Vahl]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
 Bibliography
1817: Systema Vegetabilium. Vol. 2.
Brown, R. 1810: Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van-Diemen. Johnson, London.
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Not Threatened]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Not Threatened]
Kunth, K.S. 1837: Enumeratio Plantarum Omnium Hucusque Cognitarum, Secundum Familias Naturales Disposita, Adjectis Characteribus, Differntiis et Synonymis. Vol. 2. J.G. Cottae, Stutgardiae et Tubingae [Stuttgart and Tübingen] .
Muasya, A.M.; Simpson, D.A. 2002: A monograph of the genus Isolepis R.Br. (Cyperaceae). Kew Bulletin 57(2): 257–362.
Sprengel, C.P.J. 1824: Systema vegetabilium [Caroli Linnaei ... ]. Editio decima sexta. Vol. 1. Göttingen.