玛曲薹草 ma qu tai cao

Rhizome short. Culms tufted, 20-35 cm tall, ca. 1 mm thick, slender, acutely trigonous, slightly scabrous, clothed at base with blackish brown sheaths. Leaves shorter than culm, blades linear, ca. 1.2 mm wide, flat, margins scabrous, apex acuminate. Basal involucral bract setaceous, brown, sheathless. Spikes 2 or 3; terminal spike male, red-brown, oblong, 1-1.2 cm; lateral spikes female, blackish brown, broadly ovate, ca. 7 mm, sessile. Female glumes blackish brown, broadly ovate, 3-veined medially, apex acute. Utricles light brown, subequaling glume, broadly elliptic, ca. 3 mm, glabrous, base shortly stipitate, apex ± beakless, truncate and entire. Nutlets enveloped, broadly obovate or obovate, biconvex, ca. 1.5 mm, base shortly stipitate; style base not thickened; stigmas 2. Fr. Jul.

● Alpine marshes; ca. 3500 m. Gansu.