Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Poales Small
Family
Cyperaceae Juss.
Genus
Machaerina Vahl
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Machaerina articulata (R.Br.) T.Koyama, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 69: 62 (1956)
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Cladium articulatum R.Br., Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holland. 237 (1810)
  • ≡ Baumea articulata (R.Br.) S.T.Blake (1969)
 Description

Rhizome 5–7 mm. diam., often long and creeping, covered with closely imbricating bracts. Culms 80–180 cm. × 4–6 mm., cylindrical, smooth; hollow except for transverse septa ± distinct externally in lower part of culm. Lvs ± = culms; lamina terete, with distinct transverse septa; tip subulate, pungent; sheaths very long; lowermost lvs reduced to long, papery, grey or light brown, mucronate bracts. Panicle 12–30 cm. long, drooping, much-branched; branchlets in fascicles from sheathing bracts, lowermost bract 6–20 cm. long, with lamina septate like the lvs. Spikelets exceedingly , 4–6 mm. long, deep red-brown, 1–3-fld, 1–2 fls fertile, us., but not necessarily, the lowest. Glumes 4–7, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, scabrid at the back and on the keel, margins scabrid or with very short cilia; lowermost 1–2 glumes empty. Nut c. 2 × 1.5 mm., trigonous, elliptical to obovoid, red-brown with paler thickened angles, very shortly stipitate, crowned by the cushion-like pyramidal style-base.

[From: Moore and Edgar (1970) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 2. as Baumea articulata (R.Br.) S.T.Blake]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
 Bibliography
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]
Koyama, T. 1956: Taxonomic Study of Cyperaceae V. Botanical Magazine (Tokyo) 69: 59–67.