Ficinia deusta (P.J.Bergius) Levyns

Perennial herb, robust, tufted, 0.15-0.90 m high. Leaves with sheaths with conspicuous whitish scarious ligules; blades rigid, terete, with narrow lengthwise groove along upper surface, 1.2 mm wide. Culm rigid, terete, 1-2 mm in diam. Inflorescence a terminal head, 15-55 x 5-10 mm. Subtending bracts 2, bases dilated with scarious pale margins, apices acute to obtuse. Spikelet bracts (glumes) lanceolate, 9-11 mm long, keel not excurrent to excurrent into 1.5 mm long awn. Flowering time Mar., Dec., July. Nutlet obovate, including stalk and gynophore up to 7 mm long, shallowly 3-angled to C-shaped (nutlet may be curved laterally about axis of inflorescence), dark greyish to reddish brown, surface minutely reticulate. Gynophore large, margins lobed.