1. (noun) lake club-rush, soft-stem bulrush, true bulrush, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Schoenoplectus validus - a tall, spiky, sedge found in shallow, freshwater and estuarine habitats. It can grow in more brackish habitats than kuta, and is found on the margins of rivers, lakes and ponds up to 300 m above sea level. Growth is seasonal with stems dying back over winter. Harvested in summer, the stems are hung in bundles and dried. The stems contain white spongy pith, which gives some insulation when used to make sleeping mats. Found throughout the North Island. In the South Island it is found in southern Nelson, Marlborough and Westland, as well as at Christchurch and in and near Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere.