Schoenus maschalinus Roem. & Schult. APNI* 
Description: Small, loosely mat-forming perennial. Culms very slender and flaccid, decumbent, noded and branching, 4–20 cm long, 0.3–0.5 mm diam.
Leaves with blade to 3 cm long; sheath straw-coloured to reddish, striate, ± shining; mouth glabrous; ligule absent.
Inflorescence 3–8 cm long, with 2–6 nodes, each with 1 or 2 spikelets; lowest involucral bract to 2 cm long. Spikelets ovate, acute, 1- or 2-flowered, 2–4 mm long. Glumes 3–5, lowest 1 or 2 empty, ovate, acute, whitish to dark red-brown, ± shining, with glabrous margins, midvein often scabrous; fertile glumes 2–3.5 mm long. Bristles (3-)6, not plumose, shorter than nut. Stamens 2 or 3; anthers 0.8–1.0 mm long.
Nut trigonous, ellipsoid, 0.8–1.3 mm long, 0.6–0.8 mm diam., 3-ribbed, minutely scrobiculate or reticulate to smooth, glabrous, glistening or shining, white to straw-coloured.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: NC CC SC CT ST; all States except N.T.; N.Z., Marianas, Malesia. Grows in damp to swampy places in coastal areas (ranges only on NC) and tablelands.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, CT, ST
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. W.A. S.A.
Text by K. L. Wilson
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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