Carex japonica ("Higokusa")

Japanese name: ヒゴクサ （籤草、肥後草）
Scientific name: Carex japonica

[Overview]
A perennial 20–40 cm tall, growing in partial shade in woods, along roadsides and in grassland from lowlands to hills, and preferring damp places and streamsides.
It sends out slender stolons underground and often forms small colonies.
The stem is 3-ridged and slightly rough, with a pale sheath at the base, and sometimes bears one leaf around the middle of the stem.
The leaves are flat and linear, 0.2–0.4 cm wide, and slightly powdery white on the underside.
Spikelets are borne at the stem tip, set somewhat apart from one another.
The terminal spikelet is male, 1.5–3 cm long, linear, pale green, and stalked.
The lateral spikelets are female, 1–3 in number, elliptic to narrowly oblong-elliptic, 1–2 cm long, with slender stalks.
The perigynium is ovate, about 4 mm long and slightly inflated, and its upper end forms a long erect beak, often with the style remaining.

[Notes]
One theory holds that the Japanese name derives from the stem being likened to a thin bamboo strip, but this is unclear.

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