Citation: Poiret, Encycl. Suppl. 2:252 (1811).

Synonymy: Chaetospora nitens R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 233 (1810); Scirpus nitens (R. Br.) Boeckeler, Linnaea 36:696 (1870).

Common name: Shiny bog-rush.

Description:
Perennial, 3-25 cm high; rhizome creeping, rather slender but woody, with purplish-brown or black-brown shining scales; stems tufted or distant, slender, usually rigid, subterete, striate, with a few basal leaves; leaves shorter or longer than the stems, semiterete, rigid, subterete, striate, with a few basal leaves; leaves shorter or longer than the stems, semiterete, rigidly setaceous with glabrous shining sheaths.

Inflorescence appearing lateral, capitate, of usually less than 5 (up to 12) spikelets, sometimes 1 only; bract erect, sometimes very short, appearing as though a continuation of the stem, concave-convex, pungent, sometimes with a short divergent second one; spikelets usually rather obtuse, chestnut, shining, rather turgid, 1-3-flowered, 3-5 mm long; glumes glabrous, 2-3 mm long, coriaceous except for the hyaline margins, 2 or 3 lower ones empty and sometimes appearing somewhat spiral due to twisting of the spikelet; bristles 6, longer than the nut, densely plumose in the lower part, barbellate in the upper part.

Nut ellipsoid to obovoid, acute or subobtuse, 1.7-2 x c. 0.9 mm, obtusely trigonous, the lateral angles indistinctly ribbed, the dorsal one usually obscure, sides convex, straw-coloured to brown, smooth, shiny, more than half the length of the glume.

Distribution:  Grows in brackish coastal swamps and on damp slopes. S.Aust.: EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, KI, SE.   all States except the N.T..   New Zealand; New Guinea and South America. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Sept. — March.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available