大苗山薹草 da miao shan tai cao

Rhizome woody. Culms lateral, 25-40 × 0.1-0.3 cm, trigonous, base with leafless pale brown sheaths. Leaves basal and cauline; basal leaves tufted, longer or shorter than culms, elliptic to elliptic-linear, 10-35 × 2-5 cm, glabrous on both surfaces, without transverse veins, base attenuate, apex acuminate; petiole 6-10 cm, glabrous, sometimes leaf base extending downward forming narrow wings; cauline leaves reddish brown, spathelike, papery, glabrous. Involucral bracts spathelike, with blades, usually shorter than inflorescence branches. Panicle compound, 4-6-branched; inflorescence branches paniculate, single, triangular-ovate, 0.8-1.2 × 1-2 cm; peduncles of inflorescence branches rigid, trigonous, 4-8 cm, glabrous; inflorescence axes sharply trigonous, glabrous; bractlets brownish white with deep brown spots, glumelike, lanceolate, 4-5 mm. Spikes 3 or 4, bisexual, androgynous, arising from flowerless utriculiform cladoprophylls, patent, oblong-cylindric, 8-12 mm; male part of spike linear, 4-7 mm; female part 1-3-flowered; male glumes pale brown, ovate-deltate, 1-1.5 mm, membranous, densely spotted; female glumes brown laterally, yellowish green with brown spots and 1 vein medially, broadly ovate, 1.5-2 mm, membranous, glabrous, apex obtuse. Utricles fulvous, densely spotted, ovoid, trigonous, 4-5 mm, membranous, glabrous, many veined, subsessile, apex contracted gradually into an emarginate beak ca. 2 mm. Nutlets ashy brown, ovoid, trigonous, 2-2.5 mm; style base conic; stigmas 3. Fl. and fr. May-Sep.

● Rocky valleys, forest margins; 400-1700 m. N Guangxi (Rongshui).