Family
Cyperaceae

Distribution
Found on the coast in lowland to montane: {The lower vegetation belt on mountains} forests, fescue tussock grasslands and sand dunes throughout New Zealand.

Description
A densely tufted sedge with fine narrow arching leaves that have brownish to orangey green tips. It grows 50-60cm tall, and its flowering stems eventually elongate across the ground. When these first appear they are about the same length as the leaves, but after flowering elongate as the seeds mature; eventually they may be up to 2 m or more in length and sprawl over the ground.

Cultivation
Carex testaceae can stand quite dry conditions, wind, sun and semi-shade, although the foliage's best colouring is produced in full sun. It is very hardy, needing virtually no maintenance apart from pulling out old leaves to allow new shoots to develop and prevent ‘matting.'

It can be used to under-plant existing vegetation, either on its own or with other species as well as a border in an open situation, they also look good in planters which allow their leaves to fall to the ground.