Cyperus tetraphyllus R.Br.

Brown, R. (1810) Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae : 214. Type: (J.).

Tufted perennial with short rhizome. Base of stem with purplish-brown many-nerved sheaths. Culms triquetrous, up to 60 cm tall.

Leaves basal, flat, 2-7 mm wide.

Inflorescence simple with 4-10 branches which are up to 10 cm long; digitate clusters up to 40 mm diam.; involucral bracts leaf-like, 3-6 and longer than inflorescence; spikelets flattened, 1-5 per cluster, 6-40 mm long, 10-60 -flowered. Glume dark brown to purplish brown with weakly-developed keel, 4 veins on either side of keel and reddish brown.

Nuts protruding nearly halfway out of glumes. Nut trigonous, 1-1.3 mm long, yellowish, smooth and nearly as long as glume but broader.

Features not available.

Occurs in NEQ, CEQ and southwards to New South Wales. Altitudinal range from 40-980 m. Grows in rainforest and notophyll vine forest.