Sedgelands are where lakes and lagoons meet the shore, and are dominated by sedges - grass-like plants.

Sedges are appealing to cows and sheep, and struggle to compete with weeds like tall fescue, so these plants have really suffered in recent times. You’ll find these plants at the lake shore at Lake Domain.

Curly sedge, Carex cirrhosa

These are easy to spot with their wild, unkempt appearance. They form dense tufty red, silvery-grey or yellow-green tussocks and are smaller than many other carexes. While these are popular in gardens, they were thought to be extinct in the wild in the 1990s until a keen-eyed botanist spotted some on the northern shore of Lake Wairarapa.

Mānia, Buchanan’s sedge, Carex buchananii

These are recognisable as patches of reddish brown, contrasting with the typical brown and green carexes. These sedges are taller than many of their relatives, reaching over one metre.