Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Poales Small
Family
Cyperaceae Juss.
Genus
Machaerina Vahl
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Machaerina sinclairii (Hook.f.) T.Koyama (1956)
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Cladium sinclairii Hook.f., Handb. New Zealand Fl. 305 (1864)
  • = Cladium gahnoides Colenso, Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 16: 340 (1883 [1884])
Vernacular Name(s):
Pēpepe; Toetoe tūhara; Tūhara
 Description

Large lfy clumps. Culms 50–100–(120) cm. × 3–5 mm., smooth, laterally compressed. Lvs 30–150 × 1–2–(3) cm., flat, pale green, tapering to an acuminate tip, margins smooth. Panicle 15–35 cm. long, drooping, much-branched; lowermost sheathing bract with ciliate mouth and lamina up to 3 cm long; branches in fascicles from upper sheaths. Spikelets , 3–4 mm. long in small fascicles towards the tips of the branchlets, red-brown, 2–3–(4)-fld, us. lowest 1–2 fls fertile. Glumes 5–7, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate to almost awned, scabrid-pubescent, lower 2–3 sterile. Hypog. bristles 0. Stamens elongating after flowering, filaments bright red-brown. Nut, including beak, 2–2.5 mm. long, < 1 mm. wide, acutely trigonous, almost alate, fusiform, brown, narrowed above and below to a 3-angled beak and stipe each c. = body of nut in length.

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

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
 Phenology

Flowering: Oct.–Nov.; Fruiting: Dec.–Jan.

 Bibliography
Colenso, W. 1884 ("1883"): A further contribution towards making known the botany of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 16: 325–363.
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]
Hooker, J.D. 1864: Handbook of the New Zealand Flora: a systematic description of the native plants of New Zealand and the Chatham, Kermadec's, Lord Auckland's, Campbell's and Macquarie's Islands. Part I. Reeve, London.