Briza minor L.

Erect to sprawling annual tufts, (5)–15–90 cm. Leaf-sheath submembranous, glabrous, striate. Ligule 2.5–5.5 mm, lanceolate, acute, glabrous. Leaf-blade (2)–5–16 cm × 2–9 mm, flat, thin, striate, adaxially minutely scabrid on ribs; margins minutely scabrid, tip acute. Culm 10–70 cm, erect or slightly geniculate at base, internodes glabrous. Panicle (1)–5–20 × (0.4)–3–11 cm, lax, much branched, with numerous spikelets; rachis glabrous, branches erect to widely spreading, finely scabrid, pedicels very filiform, often flexuous or curved, 5–10 mm. Spikelets 3–4.5 × 2.5–3.5 mm, (3)–5–9-flowered, pendent, ± ovate to subtriangular, shining, usually pale green, sometimes purplish. Glumes ± equal, 1.7–2.6 mm, 3–(5)-nerved, patent, concave, centrally firmly membranous, margins wide, hyaline, apex hooded. Lemma 1.5–2.5 mm, 7-nerved, similar to glumes but hardened central portion bearing scale-like, readily caducous hairs, deeply concave, base cordate, margins membranous, very broad, apex inflexed at maturity. Palea 1.4–1.8 mm, somewhat < lemma, elliptic, flat, keels narrow, interkeel with scale-like, readily caducous hairs. Lodicules 0.5–0.7 mm, linear-lanceolate, acute, sometimes hair-tipped. Anthers 0.4–0.8 mm. Gynoecium: ovary 0.5–0.6 mm; stigma-styles c. 1.2 mm. Caryopsis c. 1 × 0.5 mm; embryo c. 0.4 mm; hilum punctiform, c. 0.2 mm.

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