Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Poales Small
Family
Cyperaceae Juss.
Genus
Machaerina Vahl
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Machaerina rubiginosa (Spreng.) T.Koyama, Naturaliste Canad. 88: 122 (1961)
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Fuirena rubiginosa Spreng. (1807)
  • ≡ Baumea rubiginosa (Spreng.) Boeckeler (1874)
  • = Schoenus rubiginosus Sol. ex G.Forst., Fl. Ins. Austr. 89 (1786) nom. inval.
  • = Cladium glomeratum R.Br., Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holland. 237 (1810)
 Description

Rhizome 2–4 mm. diam., fibrous, covered with a loose coat of closely imbricating papery scales. Culms 30–90 cm. × 1–2.5 mm., terete, soft, light blue-green. Lower Ivs reduced to grey-brown, membr., mucronate sheaths; upper Ivs 1–3, terete like the culms, < or ± = culms, internally septate, tips subulate, acute. Panicle 6–18–(35) cm. long, rounded at the tip, interrupted, with branchlets in distant fascicles, stoutest lateral branchlet arising from lowest spathaceous bract c. 1 mm. diam.; bracts subtending upper fascicles acuminate, membr., red-brown. Spikelets (4.5)–5–6 mm. long, clustered, red-brown, 2–3–(4)-fld, 1 or occ. 2 fls fertile. Glumes 4–5, ovate, acuminate, membr., streaked with red, margins ciliate, scabrid towards the tip and on the keel. Nut 3–4 × c. 1.5 mm., elliptic-oblong, pale- or orange-yellow, smooth, trigonous while immature; beak small, grey or black, acute, trigonous, puberulous.

[From: Moore and Edgar (1970) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 2. as Baumea rubiginosa (Spreng.) Boeck.]

 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]
Forster, J.G.A. 1786: Florulae Insularum Australium Prodromus. Dietrich, Göttingen.
Koyama, T. 1961: Taxonomic Studies of Cyperaceae 12. Naturaliste Canadien 88: 237–252.