Machaerina rubiginosa (Biehler) T.Koyama

Rhizome short, emitting long horizontal stolons covered with 2-ranked, pale, lanceolate scales. Stems tufted, slender, compressed-biconvex to subterete, usually with 1 node above the base, smooth, (30-)100-180 cm by (2-)3-6 mm. Basal leaves shorter than to about as long as the stems, erect, biconvex with obtuse edges to subterete, smooth, pungent, spongious inside, (2-)4-7 mm wide; cauline leaf long-sheathing, with short blade. Panicle erect, narrow, dense or interrupted, (10-)20-50 cm long, consisting of 3-7 fascicles of branches, the lower branches distant, subtended by long-sheathing, shortly laminate bracts; upper branches approximate, their bracts gradually shorter. Lower branches often solitary, up to 25 cm long, upper ones 2-4 together, erect, rigid, scaberulous, much shorter. Spikelets in oblong to almost globose clusters, lanceolate or finally ovate, 2-3-flowered, maturing 1 or 2 nuts, 4-7 by 2-2½ mm. Glumes 5, ovate to lanceolate, acuminate, long-ciliate, the longest 4½-6½ mm. Bristles absent. Stamens 3; anthers 1½-2 mm long, with distinctly produced connective. Nut ellipsoid to oblong-ellipsoid, trigonous, sessile, smooth, shining, orange to reddish-brown, 3-5 by 1½-2 mm, the depressed to shortly pyramidal, densely pubescent, persistent style-base included.

In swamps and on margins of lakes, sometimes dominant over wide areas of the marsh, but only so successful when the base of the plants are below water table, from low altitudes up to 2650 (3225?) m.

Uses. In Sumatra and W. Java the leaves are sometimes used for making mats. These mats are of inferior quality as they are not damp-proof. In New Guinea used as a temporary tying material, also to plait children's baskets.