SIMBAD references

We searched the 9 M-dwarf primaries nearer than 5pc and south of declination δ=-30^o for companions with separations 1-10AU and found none. Taken together with the 25 northern primaries studied by Henry and McCarthy (1990ApJ...350..334H) the fraction of binaries and triples within the now complete sample of all M dwarfs within 5pc is 9/34=26±9%, and the average number of companions per system is 0.32±0.10. This is lower by 2σ than the observed multiplicity fraction of 43±5%, and companions per system of 0.49±0.05 in the sample of nearby solar-type main sequence stars. It is also much lower than the extrapolated binary fraction among young stars in Taurus. We discuss the implications of this finding.