Australopyrum pectinatum (Labill.) Á.Löve

Compact coarsely hairy, extravaginally branched perennial with shining reflexed spikelets in a pectinate raceme. Leaf-sheath 3–4 cm, striate, minutely densely and retrorsely villous. Auricles 1.5 mm, glabrous, clasping. Ligule 0.5 mm, glabrous. Collar broad, with some long hairs. Leaf-blade 7 cm × 3 mm, flat, rough, abaxially, adaxially and on margin coarsely stiff hairy with scattered broad-based hairs to 0.5 mm, apex blunt. Culm to 35 cm, internodes antrorsely long stiff hairy below inflorescence, retrorsely soft hairy pubescent elsewhere, nodes evident, geniculate below; culm-sheath glabrous. Inflorescence a spike-like raceme 3–6 cm; spikelets 14–17; rachis internodes 2–5 mm, sulcate, antrorse long and short hairs mixed; pedicels c. 1 mm, shortly hairy, swollen and pulvinus-like diverting spikelets to reflexed habit. Spikelet 14 mm, of 5 florets on short sparsely hairy pedicel broadside to tough rachis, patent or becoming widely reflexed. Glumes ± equal, 5–7 mm, coriaceous, asymmetric, patent or retrorse, apex awn-like, sharp, glabrous, linear triangular acute, abaxially toothed on keel, adaxially very short hairy. Lemma 11 mm, 5–7-nerved, rounded, abaxially with scattered long stiff hairs, adaxially with short scattered hairs; awn stiff glabrous shining indurate ± 4 mm. Palea 5–6 mm, antrorse denticles (0.3 mm) spaced on keel, apex ciliate, interkeel and flanks adaxially with scattered short hairs. Callus 0.2 mm, glabrous, disarticulation oblique. Rachilla 1.5 mm, finely short stiff hairy. Lodicules 0.8 mm, ligulate, ciliate. Anthers 1.3–1.5 mm. Gynoecium: ovary 1 mm; stigma-styles 2.5–3.0 mm, stigmas sparsely branched. Caryopsis 2.8–3.25 mm, linear; embryo 0.8–1.2 mm; hilum linear = caryopsis.

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