Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Poales Small
Family
Cyperaceae Juss.
Genus
Machaerina Vahl
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Machaerina teretifolia (R.Br.) T.Koyama, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 69: 66 (1956)
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Cladium teretifolium R.Br., Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holland. (1810)
  • ≡ Baumea teretifolia (R.Br.) Palla (1902)
 Description

Densely tufted, or covering large tracts of ground with rather more distant culms. Rhizome 2–4 mm. diam., fibrous and flexuous, often very far-creeping, covered with , closely imbricate, grey papery bracts. Culms 30–90–(110) cm. × 1.5–2.5–(4) mm., terete or slightly compressed, striate, yellow-green. Lowermost lvs reduced to sheathing bracts, pinkish brown, rarely dark grey, mucronate; upper lvs 1–3, < or ± = culms, terete like the culms except towards the subulate, pungent tip, internally septate, sheath loose. Panicle 4–18 cm. long, stiff, erect, narrowed and pointed towards the tip like a spear-head, with , closely packed branchlets; sheaths subtending panicle and branchlets short, membr., pale brown, striate. Spikelets , 3–5 mm. long, fascicled, very close-set, very dark brown, almost black, 1- or rarely 2-fld, but only 1 fl. fertile. Glumes 4–5, ovate, acuminate to mucronate, almost awned, dark brown, smooth or slightly scabrid at the back, margins ± ciliate. Nut 1.5–2 × c. 1 mm., oblong-obovoid, white or pale brown, surface deeply and ± vertically corrugated; style-base very small, hardly distinct, smooth.

[From: Moore and Edgar (1970) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 2. as Baumea teretifolia (R.Br.) Palla]

 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.