Aira caryophyllea L.

Grey-green to reddish green, erect, slender, variable in height, consisting of a single delicate culm or a tuft of numerous culms; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath membranous to submembranous, ribs well-spaced, minutely scabrid above. Ligule 3–4.5–(6) mm, tapered, shortly denticulate, abaxially very sparsely scabrid. Leaf-blade 0.5–6–(12) cm × 0.5–1 mm diam., inrolled, ribs minutely scabrid; margins and subobtuse tip minutely scabrid. Culm internodes glabrous. Panicle 2–11 × 1–6 cm, ± ovate, lax; branches spreading, filiform, often flexuous, sparsely scabrid, naked at base with pedicelled spikelets clustered at tips. Spikelets silvery green or purplish. Glumes 1–(3)-nerved, shining, ovate-lanceolate, acute, keel sparsely scabrid, margins very finely ciliate-scabrid. Lemma firmly membranous and brownish below, colourless, hyaline, scabrid above; awn from lower ⅓ of lemma, projecting beyond glumes, column dark brown, twisted. Palea narrower than lemma, keels rounded, glabrous. Callus ringed by minute hairs. Rachilla minute, glabrous, not prolonged. Anthers 0.4–0.5–(0.6) mm. Caryopsis c. 1.5 × 0.4–0.5 mm.

[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]