Flower head. Photo: Colin Ogle, Lake Wairarapa, New Zealand

Plants. Photo: Colin Ogle, (cultivated) from plants from near Lake Ohau, New Zealand

Common Name

Small Spike Rush

Family

Cyperaceae

Notes

Perennial rush to 25cm tall. Flower stems threadlike. Leaves reduced to sheaths at the base of the plant. Spikelet 2-7mm long, 1.5-1.7mm wide, few flowered, with 0 petals, pale to red-brown or blackish, oval, at the top of the stem. Grows in moist places.

Description and photo in G.M. Cunningham, WE Mulham, PL Milthorpe and J H Leigh (1981 and later printings) Plants of Western New South Wales page 166

PlantNET description with line drawings:  http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Eleocharis~pusilla