Stout or slender, rather tall, extravaginal tufts, leaves < culms. Leaf-sheath light brown, sometimes purplish, with numerous short projecting hairs. Ligule 1–1.5 mm, membranous, truncate, ciliate, abaxially scabrid to ciliate, often asymmetric. Leaf-blade to 15 cm × 1–1.5–(3) mm, rather stiff, flat, both surfaces with short stiff projecting hairs; margins minutely scabrid, adaxially ribs minutely scabrid, tapered towards tip. Culm 40–90 cm, nodes ringed above and below with short appressed hairs, internodes usually shortly puberulous, especially below, sometimes scabrid. Panicle (7.5)–12–25 cm, very lax, branches spreading and visible among spikelets; rachis, branchlets and pedicels short-scabrid. Spikelets few, often purplish. Glumes unequal, elliptic-lanceolate, acute; lower 3.5–5 mm, ≤ lemma, upper 4–6 mm, ≤ or > lemma. Lemma 4–6 mm, densely scaberulous, tip hyaline and less so, shortly bifid; awn 10–15 mm, inserted 0.3–0.5 mm below lemma tip, column very tightly twisted, awn usually geniculate at base of column and again above. Palea 3.5–5.5 mm, narrow-linear, keels scabrid near ciliate tip. Callus hairs 1.0–1.5 mm. Rachilla prolongation up to 0.5 mm. Lodicules 0.5–0.6 mm, elliptic-oblong, bifid, glabrous. Anthers 3, 0.9–2.8 mm in chasmogamous flowers, 0.4–0.6 mm in cleistogamous flowers. Caryopsis (2.3)–2.5–2.9 × 0.4–0.6 mm; embryo 0.4–0.5 mm; hilum 2.1–2.7 mm.
[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]