Schoenus arenicola is a species of sedge endemic to the south-west coast of South Africa.

Key diagnostic characters of this sand-loving species include reddish-brown leaf sheaths and relatively narrow flowering heads (inflorescences) with generally three to six spikelets.

It appears that part of this problem is caused by the tendency of the southern African Schoenus to form hybrids with each other.

[3][4][5] Southern African Schoenus were once classified as Tetraria; however, based on molecular and morphological differences, the two groups are considered evolutionary distinct.

[1] Schoenus arenicola mostly occurs near the south-western coast of South Africa, ranging from the Knysna area in the east to the Cape Peninsula in the west.