Eleocharis minuta
Boeck. Variable Spike-rushPerennial (but flowering the first year), sometimes producing short stolons or rhizomes. Culms mostly tufted, terete, grooved, mostly 5–15 cm long, c. 0.5 mm diam. Spikelet ovoid or oblongovoid, 3–7 mm long; glumes obtuse, rather prominently keeled, straw-coloured tinged dark red-brown, c. 1.7 mm long; hypogynous bristles 5–7, unequal, shorter or longer than nut, retrorsely scabrous, strongly united at the base; stamens 2; anthers 0.2–0.4 mm long; style 2-fid. Nut rather turgidly biconvex, with angles ± ribbed, obovoid, sbining, minutely reticulate, pale green to dark greenish-brown, 0.8–1 mm long, 0.6–0.7 mm diam.; style-base cone-sixth as long and one-third as wide as nut. Flowers spring–summer.
Also naturalised in Qld, NSW. Native to Africa, Madagascar Is. Known in Victoria by several late-nineteenth century collections from the mouth of the Yarra River where doubtfully still present.
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.
Spinning