- Taxon
- Gallery
Stoloniferous annual, rooting at lower nodes, forming erect tufts to c. 50 cm. Leaf-sheath glabrous, or with a few scattered long hairs. Ligule to 2 mm, membranous, glabrous, rounded. Leaf-blade 3.5–6 cm × 1.5–2.5 mm, linear, glabrous; margins minutely prickle-toothed, occasionally with a few short soft hairs, narrowed to fine acute tip. Culm nodes blackish brown, internodes glabrous. Racemes 2–5, 4–9 cm, slender, digitate; rachis 3-angled, minutely prickle-toothed on angles. Spikelets c. 3 mm, in pairs, light green, scarcely overlapping, lanceolate, acuminate. Lower glume 0; upper ≈ spikelet, 5–7-nerved, membranous, acuminate, with soft hairs on outer internerves and margins. Lower floret: lemma similar to upper glume, 7-nerved, nerves glabrous. Upper floret: lemma slightly < spikelet, glabrous, shining, greyish, acuminate; palea ≈ lemma, similar in texture and shape; anthers 0.4–0.5 mm, deep purple; stigmas deep purple; caryopsis c. 1.5 × 0.6 mm, oblong.
[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]