Diagnosis:—Similar to C. ludwigii (Hochst.) Luceño & Martín-Bravo (= Schoenoxiphium rufum Nees), but much smaller in all its parts and with utricles straight to slightly curved, with many conspicuous prominent veins, while in C. ludwigii utricles are very frequently curved and with less prominent veins.

Type:— LESOTHO. Leribe district: Pitseng, left side of the road in the ascent to the Mafika Lisiu pass summit, 3101 m, grassland in the summit, 29°03’58.30”S 28°24’27.10”E, 14 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 28TVH14 (holotype PRE; isotypes NU, UPOS).

Rhizome more or less caespitose, light-brown. Culm (4)12–67(90) cm long, erect, obtusely trigonous, smooth, leafy from toward one third to nearly half of its length, (0.9) 1–1.8 mm wide at the base and (0.6) 0.8–1.5 mm in the middle. Leaves (1)1.5–2.5(2.8) mm wide, moderately rigid, ± V-shaped in cross-section, slightly to moderately scabrous on the edges and sometimes on midrib, slightly papillose on adaxial surfaces, with papillae 10–15 μm in height; ligule 0.7–2.9(4) mm long. Basal sheaths foliose, lowermost fibrous and uppermost more or less entire. Lowest bract of the inflorescence foliose, from half of the inflorescence length to equalling it, with a sheath (0.9)1.7–5.1(7.3) cm long. Partial inflorescences 2–4, lowermost (0.9)1–2.7(4) × 0.3–0.8(0.9) cm and uppermost (0.9)1–2.1(2.3) × (0.3)0.4– 1.1(1.6) cm, on erect, more or less hirsute to hispid distally peduncles, frequently the uppermost included in the sheath, branching 3 times, ending in a terminal staminate spikelet. Tubular cladoprophylls always present, from 3rd-to-last to 2nd-to-last branching order; utriculiform cladoprophylls usually present, 2.1–2.6 × (0.9) 1–1.3 mm, 2nd-to-last order, ovate, green to yellowish brown when mature, hispid in the upper quarter, with conspicuous prominent veins over the entire surface, forming an angle of 38–52º with the axis and ending in a mouth 0.4–0.9 mm wide. Glumes of the staminate spikelet 2.2–3(3.3) × (1)1.1–1.6(1.8) mm, ovate, yellowish brown to brown, with an aculeolate mucro, (0.1)0.2–1.3(2) mm long. Glume subtending utricles 2–2.7(3.1) × (1.1)1.3–2(2.1) mm, ovate, yellowish brown, with a light green prominent aculeolate mucro, (0.4)0.6–2.1(2.8) mm long. Utricles (2.2)2.4–3.2(3.5) × (0.8)0.9–1.4(1.6) mm, the unisexual and bisexual ones more or less similar in size, ovate, straight to slightly curved, green to yellowish brown when mature, usually hispid in the upper third, with conspicuous prominent veins over the entire surface, forming an angle of 31–46º with the branch axis; unisexual utricles with rachilla protruding from the apex up to 0.5 mm in some utricles, with a more or less bifid beak; bisexual utricles wide-mouthed, similar in shape to utriculiform cladoprophylls. Nutlet (1.2)1.4–2.2(2.5) × (0.7)0.8–1.2(1.5) mm, ovate-trigonous, green to yellowish brown when mature, tipped by a short, terete, persistent style base. n=18 (Luceño et al. unpublished).

Etymology:—From the Latin parvus, -a, -um (small), and rufus, -a, -um (red), alluding to the resemblance of this species to Carex ludwigii (Hochst.) Luceño & Martín-Bravo, which was formerly known as Schoenoxiphium rufum Nees, but smaller in all its parts.

Chorology and ecology:—Mesophilous grasslands on clay soil up to 3150 m from KwaZulu-Natal and Free State regions in South Africa, and northern Lesotho (Fig. 4).

Additional specimens examined (Paratypes):— LESOTHO. Leribe district: Hlotse, 2086 m, streamside near a waterfall, 29º04’18.15’’S 28º22’36.07”E, 13 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 2TVH14 (UPOS-8505); Pitseng, 3142 m, 29º03’55.32’’S 28º24’20.60’’E, 14 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 18TVH14 (UPOS-8506); near the road, 2821 m, 29°04’09.30”S 28°23’30.10”E, 14 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 35TVH14 (UPOS-8524); Tsehlanyane National Park, upper trail to Black Pool, 2141 m, near a waterfall, 28º54’26.45’’S 28º26’23.53’’E, 15 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 64TVH14 (UPOS-8514); 2155 m, on the pathway, 28º59’00.22’’S 28º27’08.00’’E, 15 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 69TVH14 (UPOS-8515); 1990 m, Leucosidea sericea scrub, 28º54’40.38’’S 28º26’06.94’’E, 15 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 54TVH14 (UPOS-8510). Maseru district: Semonkong, road from Roma to Semonkong, 2620 m, stream margin, 29º42’01.64’’S 27º56’50.70’’E, 16 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 84TVH14 (UPOS-8516); 2620 m, Leucosidea sericea scrub, 29º42’01.63’’S 27º56’50.70’’E, 16 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 89TVH14 (UPOS-8517); Basaltic stony soil, 29º42’01.63’’S 27º56’50.70’’E, 16 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 92TVH14 (UPOS-8518); 2848 m, basaltic stony soil, 29°43’41.40”S 27°56’51.20”E, 16 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 101TVH14 (UPOS-8520); road from Semonkong to Roma, 2569 m, grassland, 29º45’31.52’’S 27º59’37.11’’E, 18 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 120TVH14 (UPOS-8521); 2582 m, dry grassland, 29º45’23.70’’S 27º59’27.47’’E, 18 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 124TVH14 (UPOS-8522); 2248 m, slightly moist and nitrified grassland, 29º48’44.51’’S 28º01’56.30’’E, 18 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 131TVH14 (UPOS-8523). SOUTH AFRICA. Free State: Drakensberg mountains, 10 km from Phuthaditjhaba, Witsieshoek Mountain resort, 2195 m, grasslands in stony slopes on the roadside, 28º41’13.86’’S 28º54º52.14’’ E, 16 November 2010, S. Martín-Bravo et al. 125 SMB10 (UPOS-8504); Golden Gate Highlands National Park, 1800–2100 m, grasslands in Leucosidea sericea scrub, 28°30’20.10”S 28°03’42.30”E, 13 December 2008, S. Martín-Bravo et al. 143 SMB08 (UPOS-3601); between Clarens and Phuthaditjhaba, pathway from Glen Reenen Rest Camp to Boskloof Trail, 2070 m, understorey, 28º29’55.58’’S 28º37’07.71’’E, 20 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 138TVH14 (UPOS-5255); pathway from Glen Reenen Rest Camp to Echo Ravine Trail, 2057 m, rocky understorey, 28º30’02.74’’S 28º37’17.77’’E, 20 January 2014, T. Villaverde et al. 134TVH14 (UPOS-5254). KwaZulu-Natal: Bank of Bushmans River c. 1/ 2 miles upstream from Giants Castle Rest. Camp, 5700 ft, 25 October 1968, F. B. Wright 663 (NU); Cathedral Peak Forest Research Station, 6550 ft, occasional in Festuca costata —other spp. grassveld on S-SE facing slope in Catchment 3, 08 November 1951, D. J. B. Killick 1545 (NU); Cathedral Peak Area, footpath towards fern forest, 1333 m, in clay soils in open grassland, 28º56’55.00”S 29º11’48.60”E, 20 October 2006, B. Gehrke et al. BG-Af 467 (Z-39368); Cathedral Peak Natural Reserve, pathway from Didima Camp Lodge to Cathedral Peak, 1496 m, floodplain, previously burned, 28º56’25.60’’S 29º11’54.40’’E, 11 November 2012, E. Maguilla et al. 69EMS12 (UPOS-8507); Drakensberg mountains, ca. 40 km away from Underberg, Bushman’s Nek Natural Reserve, 1850 m, open grasslands on dry slopes, 29º50’24.90’’S 29º13’05.00’’E, 12 November 2011, S. Martín-Bravo & M. Luceño 109 SMB11 (UPOS-6584); slope near Caravan Park, 1779 m, grassland, 29º50’19.90’’S 29º12’59.60’’E, 15 November 2012, E. Maguilla et al. 70EMS12bis (UPOS-8502); Cobham Forest Reserve, ‘lakes’ cave area, 7900 ft, cape of maish on slope, 2929 CB, 15 December 1982, J. Manning et al. 16057 (NU); Garden Castle Forest Reserve, 6000 ft, in maish by stream near forester’s house, 2929 CC, 04 December 1980, O. M. Hilliard & B. L. Burtt 13792 (NU); Garden Castle National Park, 1850 m, grassland, 29°44’44.80”S 29°12’25.10”E, 16 December 2008, M. Luceño et al. 94 ML08 (UPOS-3626); 1920 m, grassland, 29º44’29.30”S 29º10’55.60”E, 16 December 2008, M. Luceño et al. 101 ML08 (UPOS-3591); 1810 m, grassland, 29°45’01.30”S 29°12’43.40”E, 16 December 2008, M. Luceño et al. 107 ML08 (UPOS-3594); Garden Castle, near concrete bridge above the stream, 1803 m, near a stream, floodplain, 29º45’01.10’’S 29º12’43.10’’E, 16 November 2012, E. Maguilla et al. 77EMS12 (UPOS-8503); Giant’s Castle, 6500 ft, 2929AB, November 1914, R. E. Symons 120 (PRE-489129); Mpendle district, farm “Tillietudlem”, 5800 ft, stream side on mountain slope, 2929DB, 09 December 1980, O. M. Hilliard & B. L. Burtt 13855 (NU); Gxalingenwa valley, between Sani Pass and Polela valley, 7200 ft, drainage line on hill slope facing North, 2929 CB, 09 December 1983, O. M. Hilliard & B. L. Burtt 17115 (NU); Sani Pass, 2880 m, summit wet meadows, 29°34’56.50”S 29°16’50.50”E, 17 December 2008, S. Martín-Bravo et al. 163 SMB08 (UPOS-3607); 6700 ft, common in moist grass slopes, 2929 CB, 13 December 1984, O. M. Hilliard & B. L. Burtt 17922 (NU); Upper tributaries S of Mkomazi R. (feeders of Ka-Ntubu), 7300 ft, in drainage line on steep grass slopes, 2929 CB, 01 December 1982, O. M. Hilliard & B. L. Burtt 15759 (NU); Vicinity of Tarn Cave above Bushman’s Nek, below Devil’s Knuckles, 8000 ft, tufted on stream bank, 2929 CC, 23 November 1983, O. M. Hilliard & B. L. Burtt 16909 (NU).

Notes:—This species shows great phenotypic plasticity, probably related to the different range of altitudes where it grows. Populations growing in grasslands up to 2600–2700 m are larger and frequently have longer staminate spikes protruding from the utricles than the populations inhabiting areas above (2900) 3000 m. Overall, the qualitative features of this species are very similar to those of C. ludwigii, but its chromosome number is slightly higher than in the latter species (n=18 vs. n=17; Luceño et al. unpublished), and all samples constituted a monophyletic group in a phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequences (Villaverde et al. in press.).