四川莎草 si chuan suo cao

Perennials. Roots long, fibrous. Rhizomes short. Culms densely tufted, 16-26 cm tall, 3-angled, smooth, base swollen into a bulb shape and with several leaves. Leaves usually longer than culm; sheath dark brown, long; leaf blade 2.5-4 mm wide, flat. Involucral bracts 3, leaflike, longer than inflorescence. Inflorescence a simple anthela, contracted into a capitulum, globose, 1.2-1.6 cm in diam., with many spikelets. Spikelets ovoid to ellipsoid, 5-8 × ca. 3 mm, compressed, 6-10-flowered; rachilla wingless. Glumes yellowish white, adaxially pale rusty brown and shortly striate, densely arranged, ovate, ca. 4 mm, membranous, veins several, prominently keeled, margin white hyaline, apex mucronate. Stamens 3; anthers linear, slightly long; connective dark red, prominent beyond anthers. Style short; stigmas 3, long. Nutlet oblong, 3-sided (not mature).

● Wet places. Sichuan.