Alopecurus geniculatus L.

Perennials; culms spreading from geniculate base and rooting at nodes. Leaf-sheath light green, glabrous, striate, lower sheaths purplish. Ligule (1.5)–2–4.5 mm, membranous, blunt, or tapering above to a point, entire, glabrous, but abaxially with short fine hairs near base. Leaf-blade 4–12 cm × 1.5–2.5 mm, flat, dark green to occasionally glaucous, finely ribbed, finely scabrid on ribs and margins, prickle-teeth not so evident abaxially, tapering to acute tip. Culm (12)–20–30 cm, internodes ridged, glabrous. Panicle 2–4 cm, spike-like, with densely crowded light green to purplish spikelets. Glumes (2)–2.5–3 mm, ± equal, 3-nerved, narrowly elliptic-oblong, blunt, membranous, short hairy, keeled, keel silky-ciliate, margins united near base. Lemma 2–3 mm, ≈ glumes, 4-nerved, broadly oblong or ovate, thinly membranous, glabrous except for a few hairs on margins at very blunt apex, keeled, margins united for short distance below; awn fine, 2.5–4.5 mm, inserted near base, projecting 1.4–2.5 mm beyond glumes. Palea 0. Anthers 1–1.7 mm, yellow or purple. Caryopsis 1.2–1.5 × 0.5–0.8 mm.

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