- ≡ Scirpus praetextatus Edgar, New Zealand J. Bot. 4: 196 (1966)
Thickly tufted, often prostrate or drooping, from a slender ascending rhizome c. 0.5 mm. diam. Culms 3–30 cm. × 0.5–1 mm., rather lax; 1–2 basal bracts per culm, membr., grey-brown or sometimes red-purple. Lvs (1)–2–3–(4), < or ± = culms, < 1 mm. wide, sheath often streaked with red-purple. Infl. apparently lateral, c. (3)–4–5 × (3) –5–9 mm., us. almost semicircular in outline, of 2–5 ovate, obtuse, close-packed spikelets; subtending bract much > infl., up to 10 cm. long, rigid, as wide as a foliage lf, red-purple at base, occ. a second shorter bract present. Spikelets deep red-purple, almost black, at base, distally green at first but turning grey-brown; at times entirely grey-green. Glumes 2–2.5 mm. long, lanceolate, acute, membr., tinged with red-purple, keel very thick, green, slightly excurrent. Hypog. bristles 0. Stamens 2–1, rarely 3 in lower glumes. Style-branches 3. Nut c. 1 × 0.5 mm., c. ½ length of glume, trigonous with angles slightly thickened, elliptical, smooth, pale cream, shortly stipitate and apiculate.
[From: Moore and Edgar (1970) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 2 as Scirpus praetextatus Edgar]