noun
softstem bulrush
A specific plant species (Scirpus tabernaemontani). Rare term, usually written in kana. Compare with 太藺 (futo'i), a related bulrush.
See also: 太藺
マルスゲは湿地に生える植物です。
The softstem bulrush is a plant that grows in wetlands.
太藺 is a different species of bulrush (Scirpus tabernaemontani var. laeviglumis or similar), while マルスゲ specifically refers to the softstem bulrush.
The name likely derives from 丸 (maru, 'round') and 菅 (suge, 'sedge'), referring to the round stems of the plant. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.