杯鳞薹草 bei lin tai cao

Rhizome short. Culms densely tufted, 30-50 cm tall, triquetrous, rather slender, stiff, scabrous on upper part, clothed with bladeless or shortly bladed sheaths at lower part. Upper leaves longer than culm and lower leaves shorter than culm, blades 3-4 mm wide, furrowed on midrib of adaxial surface, revolute on margins, scabrous on margins and abaxial surface, rather long sheathed. Involucral bracts leafy, nearly equaling or longer than inflorescence, rather shortly sheathed. Spikes 3 or 4, upper spikes approximate, lower spikes slightly remote; terminal spike male, linear, 1-2 cm, shortly pedunculate; lateral spikes female, narrowly cylindric, 1-3 cm, laxly 10- or more flowered, rather slenderly pedunculate. Female glumes yellowish and ferruginous punctate, broadly ovate, ca. 4 mm, membranous, 1-costate, base connate and clasping rachilla, apex acute, shortly aristate. Utricles gray-green, obliquely patent, longer than glume, rhombic-elliptic, trigonous, ca. 5 mm, papery, glabrous, thinly several veined, base gradually narrowed and stipitate, margins hispidulous, apex gradually narrowed to a slightly broad and short beak, orifice 2-toothed. Nutlets tightly enveloped, elliptic, trigonous, ca. 3 mm, sessile, apex with slightly long acumen; style short, base slightly thickened; stigmas 3. Fl. and fr. May-Jun.

● Damp places at ditch sides and lakesides. Anhui, S Jiangsu, Zhejiang.