▁en demic ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁Island ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Pl ants ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁online , ▁it ▁has ▁no ▁syn onym s . ▁ ▁However ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Plant ▁Conserv ation ▁Network ▁lists ▁Care x ▁com ans ▁var ▁strict a ▁Che es eman ▁as ▁a ▁syn onym . ▁ ▁Description ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁dens ely ▁tu ft ed ▁sed ge ▁growing ▁from ▁ 2 5 0 ▁to ▁ 3 5 0 ▁mm ▁tall , ▁and ▁may ▁be ▁buff - col oured , ▁an ▁almost ▁ble ached ▁white , ▁or ▁green ▁or ▁red . ▁The ▁cul ms ▁are ▁smooth ▁and ▁ 5 0 - 2 0 0 ▁mm ▁by ▁ 0 . 5 ▁mm , ▁often ▁having ▁a ▁deep ▁gro ove . ▁The ▁leaves ▁are ▁numerous ▁and ▁the ▁bas al ▁she ath s ▁are ▁dark ▁brown ▁to ▁pur ple - red . ▁ ▁The ▁terminal ▁sp ike ▁is ▁male ▁with ▁the ▁other ▁sp ikes ▁being ▁female . ▁ ▁It ▁flowers ▁from ▁October ▁to ▁December ▁and ▁f ruits ▁from ▁October ▁to ▁September ▁and ▁the ▁n uts ▁are ▁dispers ed ▁by ▁gran iv ory ▁and ▁wind . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁& ▁habitat ▁It ▁is ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁Island ▁from ▁the ▁Mack en zie ▁Bas in , ▁to ▁Wait aki ▁and ▁Central ▁O tag o , ▁on ▁all uv ial ▁terra ces , ▁and ▁s lop es ▁and ▁on ▁river ▁fl ats . ▁ ▁Conserv ation ▁status ▁The ▁IU CN ▁Red list ▁declared ▁its ▁conservation ▁status ▁to ▁be ▁of ▁" le ast ▁concern