C. conglomeratus Rottb. var. aucheri (Jaub. & Spach) Kük., in Engler, Pflanzenr. IV.20, Heft 101: 274. 1936; Jaub. & Spach, l.c.: Tab. 101. 1844.

Caespitose perennial, 15-35 cm. Rhizome short, with tillers or short stolons; roots tomentose. Stem 1.5-3 mm diam., obtusely trigonous, smooth, grey-green. Leaves up to as long as stem; sheaths 20-80 mm, greyish or yellowish brown to brown, rigid, not glossy, disintegrating into fibres, mouth margin concave; ligule 0; blades up to 30 cm, 1.5-3.5 mm wide, channelled, rather rigid, flexuous, often curved, grey-green, margins scabrous, apex long-attenuate, trigonous or flat, smooth or slightly scabrous. Inflorescence an anthelodium, up to 80 mm, sometimes reduced to a single cluster of spikes; 2-3 bracts foliose, up to 20 cm, upright; primary branches 0-4, up to 60 mm, smooth, tubular prophyll up to 10 mm; cluster of spikes with 1-10 spreading spikes; spikes 10-40 mm, narrowly ovoid, slightly compressed, with 14-c. 50 closely imbricating glumes; glume-like bract c. 4 mm, glume-like prophyll c. 4 mm, bi-nerved, obtuse; glumes 3.2-6 mm, cymbiform, back rounded, mucro to 0.5 mm, sides with 4-6 nerves, grey or yellowish to brownish, margins scarious, adaxial side reddish brown; rachis c. 1.5 mm wide, reddish brown, internodes c. 0.7 mm, not winged. Stamens 3, anthers, c. 3.5 mm. Nut 2.5-3.7 x (1.1-)1.3-2.2 mm, ellipsoid, compressed, greyish brown, adaxial side concave, finely reticulate and papillose, wings up to 0.5 mm wide, yellowish.

Fl. Per.: March - May.

Lectotype: "In Persiae australis, monte Gheno (alias Guenan), prope Bender Abassi", Aucher-Eloy 5483 (isolectotypes BM! S!). The type collection number includes two elements, one from Iran (C. aucheri) and another collected in Oman, near Masqat (C. arenarius) (Kukkonen 1998). Makran: Between Pasni and Kappar, Rechinger 27869 (W); 80 km S Turbat, road to Pasni, Lamond 433 (E). Fl.Per.: April – May.

In silty and stony sand in deserts and semideserts, "ad fossas in palmetis"; Distribution: From Iraq to Pakistan. Distribution: Specimens seen mainly from central parts of Iranian plateau; Iran, Afghanista, Pakistan. On stabilized dunes along desert margins and in wadis.

The race may be worth taxonomic recognition, but further closer study is required. Normally seeds of Cyperaceae during the first season produce seedlings having a leaf rosette. Interestingly, plants evidently representing seedlings of C. aucheri as examplified by the specimens cited below, can flower and produce seeds in their first season. They are charaterized by fibrous roots and soft, pale or yellowish basal sheaths. Characters found somewhat deviating from C. aucheri are: Stem 1-2 mm diam., base slightly swollen; leaves c. equalling stem; sheaths 10-50 mm, scarious, soft, grey or yellowish brown, nerves brown or areas between nerves with brown dots, mouth margin slightly concave; blades to 30 cm, 1-3 mm wide, channelled or flat, abaxial side papillose. Inflorescence a small anthelodium, to 15 cm or cluster of, e.g., three spikes; bracts 3-5, spreading; primary branches 0-6, to 10 cm.