Restio tetragonus Thunb.

Plants clumped, with rhizomes, unbranched or sparsely branched, 0.5-1.0 m high. Culms branching or sparingly branched, square, smooth or finely warty, 1.5-3.5 mm in diam. at base. Leaf sheaths persistent, closely convolute, shoulders hyaline, margins membranous, continuing behind awn. Male inflorescences with 11-50 spikelets; spathes persistent, like the floral bracts, chartaceous or cartilaginous. Female inflorescences with 21-100 spikelets; spathes shorter than spikelets, persistent, coriaceous. Spikelet: pedicel simple or branching, 6-10 mm long. Bracts shorter than or as high as flowers. Ovary unilocular; styles 3, plumose, white, with bases free. Flowering time July, Aug. Fruit a capsule, sometimes dropping with seed.