Carex arenaria L. APNI* 
Description: Rhizome long; shoots distant. Culms erect, trigonous, scabrous above, 10–90 cm long, c. 0.5 mm diam.
Leaves curly, shorter than to equalling culms; blade 1.5–3.5 mm wide; sheath grey-brown; ligule obtuse.
Inflorescence spreading, erect, 3–8 cm long, with 5–15 spikes solitary at nodes; lowest involucral bract shorter than inflorescence. Spikes sessile, contiguous, spreading at maturity, 0.8–1.5 cm long; upper spikes male; middle spikes androgynous; lower spikes female. Glumes acute to acuminate, pale red-brown with paler midrib and hyaline margins; female glumes 4–6 mm long. Perigynia (utricles) ovoid, thickened at base, usually broadly winged, numerous-nerved (at least abaxially), 4.0–5.5 mm long, c. 1.5 mm diam., hispid on margins above, yellow-brown; beak 1.0–1.5 mm long, with apex 2-fid. Style 2-fid.
Nut narrow-ellipsoid, lenticular in cross section, dark brown.
Flowering: spring–summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Naturalized on sand dunes at Hawks Nest. Native of Europe.
NSW subdivisions: *NC
Text by K. L. Wilson (1993); edited KL Wilson (July 2016)
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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