Fimbristylis microcarya F.Muell.

Mueller, F.J.H. von (1859) Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae 1(8): 200. Type: Ad rivum Dépôt Creek in ripariis et inundatis. [given by S.T.Blake, Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland 48 (1937) 93 as Dépôt Creek IV. 1856 F. Mueller in Herb. Melbourne.

Densely tufted annual with strongly compressed and ribbed , leafy at base, stems 10-30 cm tall.

Leaves shorter than the stems, flat, scabrid on the margins in the upper third, 1-2 mm wide; ligule a dense fringe of short hairs.

Inflorescence decompound, very loose with many spikelets, 3-7 cm long. Involucral bracts 2-4, erect; primary rays up to 5 cm long; spikelets solitary and very small, angular, acute, ferrugineous, 2-4 x 1 mm; rachilla winged. Glumes spiral, membranous, mucronulate, with well-developed keel, wings golden to reddish brown. Style thickened at base, stigma branches shorter than style

Nut obovate, trigonous, with 4-6 prominent longitudinal rows and horizontal cells, minutely verruculose and whitish.

Features not available.

Occurs in WA, NT, CYP, NEQ, CEQ and widespread through northern Australia. Altitudinal range from sea level to 700 m. Grows along tracks and roads through rainforest, Eucalypt forest, Melaleuca swamp, floodplains, and moist places in various types of woodland and wooded grassland. Also from India and eastern Asia, Malesia and New Guinea.