11. Kobresia esenbeckii (Kunth) Noltie, Edinb. J. Bot. 50: 43. 1993; Carex esenbeckii Kunth, Enum. Pl. 2: 522. 1837; Carex trinervis Nees in Wight, Contrib. Bot. Ind.: 120. 1834, non Degl. Kobresia trinervis Boeck. in Linnaea 39: 4. 1875, nom illeg. K. seticulmis Boeck. in Linnaea 39: 3. 1875. K. hookeri Boeck. in Linnaea 39: 4. 1875; K. hookeri var. dioica C.B. Clarke in Hook.f., l.c. 695. 1894. K. angusta C.B. Clarke in Hook.f., l.c. 695. 1894.
Densely tufted perennial, 4-33(-38) cm. Rhizome with tillers. Stem 0.3-0.7 mm diam., trigonous, scabrous along edges. Leaves to as long as stem, stiffly erect; sheaths pale to dark brown, to c. half of stem length; blades (1-)1.4-3.5 mm wide, flat, keeled, margins scabrous. Inflorescence unisexual or androgynous spike, 17-45 x 2-4 mm, female spikes or parts of spikes lax, male parts dense; female glumes 2.2-4.5 x 1-2 mm, lanceolate or narrowly ovate, obtuse to acute, often mucronate, mid-vein area green, sides orange-brown; male glumes (5-)7-8.5 x 1.6-2 mm, lanceolate, blunt, margins widely scarious; utricles 1.9-3.5 x 0.4-0.7 mm, obovate, veins scabrous, beak 0. Stigmas 3. Nut long exserted from utricles, 2.5-3.4 x 0.5-0.7 mm, stipe 0.4-0.7 mm, style base (1-)1.4-2 mm.
Fl. Per.: July–August.
Isotype: Royle 138 p.p. (LIV).
Wet rocks, cliff-ledges, grazed slopes; Distribution: From Kashmir and NW India to Sikkim, Myanmar and SW China.
Reported from Kashmir (Kishtwar) by Kükenthal, l.c. 1909 as K.trinervis.
For synonymy, see Noltie (1993); description adapted from Noltie in Grierson & D.G.Long, Fl. Bhutan 3,1: 349-350. 1994.
