垂果薹草 chui guo tai cao

Rhizome short, ligneous, with numerous and rather thick roots. Culms loosely tufted, 55-75 cm tall, rather robust, acutely triquetrous, smooth on lower part and scabrid on upper angles, with many leaves at base. Leaves longer than culm, blade 0.7-1.5 cm wide, flat, with 2 distinct lateral veins, smooth on both surfaces and lower margins, scabrid on upper margins, sheathed, basal sheaths usually dehiscent. Involucral bract leaflike, much longer than subtending spike, not sheathed. Spikes usually 6; uppermost 1 or 2 spikes male, narrowly cylindric, 5-12 cm, shortly pedunculate or nearly sessile; remaining spikes female, rather remote, cylindric, 8-11 cm, densely many flowered, lowermost 1 or 2 spikes shortly pedunculate, upper spikes nearly sessile. Female glumes red-brown on sides, yellowish green between 2 lateral veins, lanceolate or narrowly ovate, 3-4 mm (including length of awn), membranous, 3-veined, apex attenuate, with a long awn, awn 1/3-1/2 length of glume, slightly scabrous on margins. Utricles black-brown, obliquely patent, horizontally patent or pendent at maturity, slightly longer than or as long as glume, ovate-oblong, inflated trigonous, 4-5 mm, membranous, 5-veined abaxially, base abruptly contracted into a short stipe, apex attenuate into a medium-sized to long beak, beak recurved, truncate or emarginate at orifice. Nutlets loosely enveloped, obovate, trigonous, ca. 2 mm, base cuneate, apex mucronate; stigmas 3. Fl. and fr. Feb-Mar.

● Mountain slopes, ditches, shady and wet areas, lax forests; ca. 1300 m. Guangdong, Yunnan.