An exceedingly variable plant. Depauperated states, with few-flowered spikelets, are easily mistaken for C. resectans, although the position of the male flowers at once separates the two plants. Var. elatior approaches C. trachycarpa, but is smaller and more slender, with narrower leaves, the inflorescence is much more lax, and the utricles are smaller and narrower.
5. C. trachycarpa, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiv. (1892) 413.—Culms densely tufted, stout or rather slender, trigonous, scabrid above, 6–14 in. high. Leaves longer or shorter than the culms, flat, grassy, striate, 112—18 in. broad; margins slightly scabrid above. Spikelets 4–10, compacted into an oblong or linear-oblong spike ½–1 in. long, androgynous, brown or pale-brown, ovoid, ⅕–⅓ in. long; lowest bract leafy, shorter or longer than the spike. Glumes ovate, acuminate or awned, pale-chestnut or pale-brown, with pale-green midribs and hyaline margins. Male flowers at the top of the spikelets, usually few. Utricle ovoid, plano-convex, narrowed into a short bifid beak, strongly nerved, minutely papillose all over; margins finely crenulate above. Styles 2. Nut oblong, lenticular.—C. muricata, Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 411, 427 (not of Linn.).
South Island: Nelson—Mount Arthur, Mount Peel, Mount Owen, T.F.C.; Mount Mantell, Townson! 3000–4500 ft. December–March.
In my revision of the New Zealand species I erroneously referred this to C. muricata, from which it differs altogether in the much smaller differently shaped utricles, which do not spread when ripe, and are minutely papillose on both surfaces. Its nearest ally is C. Kirkii var. elatior.
6. C. Muelleri, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xviii. (1886) 298.—Pale whitish-green. Rhizome stout, woody, creeping. Culms densely tufted, slender, strict and wiry, terete below, compressed or plano-convex above, grooved, perfectly smooth, 6–24 in. high. Leaves shorter than the culms, narrow, 125 in. broad, strict and wiry, concave in front, convex on the back, grooved; margins smooth or slightly scabrid above. Inflorescence nearly diœcious or altogether so; spikelets 6–10, collected into a linear terminal spike ½–1½ in. long, sessile, few-flowered, about ¼ in. long; those of the male plant with an occasional female flower or altogether unisexual, those of the female sometimes with a staminate flower at the top of the spikelets; bracts short. Glumes lanceolate, acuminate or awned, thin and membranous, pale whitish-green. Utricle narrow-lanceolate, plano-convex, nerved, winged above and tapering into a very long bidentate beak, both surfaces minutely papillose above; margins ciliate-serrate. Styles 2. Nut linear-oblong, smooth, lenticular.—C. viridis, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiii. (1881) 332; Cheesem. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvi. (1884) 428 (not of Schlecht. and Cham.).
South Island: Nelson—Clarence Valley, T.F.C.; valley of the Stanley, Kirk! Canterbury—Mackenzie Plains, Lakes Tekapo and Pukaki, T.F.C. Otago—Rough Ridge, Clarke's Diggings, Carrick Range, Nevis Valley, Mount Cardrona, Petrie! 2000–4000 ft. December–February.
