Tussock-forming perennial. Culms 60–110 cm high, 2–3 mm diam. Leaf-blades flat to inrolled, erect to spreading, smooth to finely scabrous, as long as or longer than culm, shorter than inflorescence; ligules chartaceous, to 8 mm long; sheaths pink-purplish and dull above to black and very shining at base. Inflorescence very narrow, erect, 20–35 cm long, with 2–3 nodes, spikelet clusters very dense. Spikelets 1-flowered; glumes 3 or 4, similar in size, brown, minutely scabrous to smooth, with acute to acuminate apex; stamens 3; anthers c. 1.8 mm long excluding appendage 0.4–0.5 mm long. Nut ± linear to very narrow-ovoid, trigonous, granulate, glistening, 5–6 mm long, 1.0–1.5 mm diam., straw-coloured to very dark brown. Flowers spring–summer.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, Brid, VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, GGr, DunT, EGL, EGU, WPro. Also SA, NSW, Tas. Fringing saline and subsaline swamps and marshes in lowlands, sometimes coextensive with G. trifida.
Source:
Wilson, K.L. (1994). Cyperaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 238–356. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
