Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Poales Small
Family
Cyperaceae Juss.
Genus
Schoenus L.
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Schoenus fluitans Hook.f. (1858)
 Description

Densely tufted, us. reddish. Culms rooted at the base, the rest floating, up to 60 cm. long, c. 0.5 mm. diam., flaccid, lfy, much branched. Lvs (2)–6–10 cm. long, distant or tufted, filiform, flaccid, margins slightly scabrid towards lf-tip; sheath very long, green or red-brown, margins membr., produced at the tip to form a ligule. Spikelets 7–12 mm. long, 2–4-fld, narrow-linear, solitary, terminal, subtended by a glume-like bract, or rarely 2–3 spikelets distant at the end of the culm, the lower ones subtended by more lf-like bracts. Glumes 3–4, lanceolate, obtuse, membr., light red or pale cream; all fertile or the lowermost empty. Hypog. bristles 0. Stamens 3. Style-branches 3. Nut c. 2 × 1 mm., obovoid, brown with black patches or entirely black.

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

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
 Bibliography
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Hitchmough, R.; Townsend, A.J. 2009: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand (2008 revision). New Zealand Journal of Botany 47: 61–96. [Declining]
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(1): 45–76.
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. [Naturally Uncommon]
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. [Naturally Uncommon]