Scirpus barbatus Rottb., Descr. Pl. Rar. Progr.: 27. 1772; Abildgaardia wallichiana (Schult.) Lye in Nordic J. Bot. 3: 239. 1983; Isolepis wallichiana Schult., in Roemer & Schultes, Mantissa: 533. 1824; non A. barbata Beauv. 1807; Kral Sida 4: Fig. 10. 1971. Haines & Lye, Sedges and rushes of E. Afr.: Figs. 232 & 233. 1983.

Annual, 5-25 cm, forming small tufts. Roots fibrous. Stem c. 0.25 mm diam., 4-6-angled, grooved, smooth, grey-green. Leaves to c. half of stem length; sheaths 5-30 mm, grey or yellowish brown, soft, mouth oblique, margin densely fringed with white hairs, c. 1 mm; blades c. 0.5 mm wide, but inrolled and resembling stems, grey green, margins minutely scabrous, apex channelled, acute, scabrous. Inflorescence 5-10 mm diam., of tight group of 3-20 sessile or subsessile spikes; bracts 1-2(-4), lowest leaf-like, green, to 20 mm, very fine, acute, scabrous, finally reflexed. Spikes c. 3.5 x 1.5 mm; bracts glume-like, c. 3 mm, incl. arista c. 1.5 mm; prophylls, c. 1 mm, scarious, bi-nerved; glumes 3-6 per spike, spirally arranged, 1.5-2 mm, acute or acuminate, mid-nerve area green, strongly keeled, scabrous, mid-nerve and two strong side-nerves extend into mucro, up to 0.3 mm, sides scarious, brown, smooth or with scattered prickles, glossy, margin towards apex fringed. Perianth bristles 0; stamens 1-2, anther c. 1 mm. Nut 0.6-0.7 x 0.5-0.6 mm, obovoid, sharply triangular, sides very finely papillose, white, glossy.

Fl. Per.: August -September.

Type: "In Missionis herbario inveni" (Rottb., Descr. Ic. Pl.: 52, 1773).

In moist sand, in fields; common on lower slopes of Himalayas; Distribution: In tropical Africa S of Sahara; in Asia from Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka to Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia and N Australia.

Koyama in Fl. of Ceylon (1985) distinguishes two subspecies, viz. subsp. barbata and more southern subsp. pulchella (Thwaites) T. Koyama; latter was considered at varietal level by Clarke in Hook.f., Fl. of Br. India (1893).