Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees

Stiff, densely tufted perennials, to 70 cm; branching intravaginal, shoots ± thickened at base. Leaf-sheath coriaceous, strongly ribbed, light creamy brown at base, purplish above, with short, scattered, stiff hairs, lower sheaths tomentose near base. Ligule ciliate, hairs 0.8–1.4 mm. Collar hairs 2–5.5 mm. Leaf-blade 10–55 cm × 0.5–1.3 mm diam., narrowly involute or convolute, abaxially glabrous, adaxially ribbed, ribs minutely scabrid; margins minutely scabrid, long-narrowed to filiform, acute, scabrid tip. Culm 20–80 cm, rarely branched above, erect, internodes glabrous. Panicle 12–22 cm, lax, at first narrow-sagittate, later more open; branches ascending to later spreading, solitary or binate, ± scabrid, branch-axils at lower nodes with hairs (to 4 mm). Spikelets 4.5–6–(8) mm, 4–6–(8)-flowered, ± smooth, not very compressed, linear-lanceolate, olive-grey. Glumes unequal, hyaline, 1-nerved, oblong-lanceolate, apex subacute, minutely scabrid; lower 1.6–2 mm, upper 2.2–2.8 mm. Lemma 2.5–2.8 mm, 3–(5)-nerved, membranous, elliptic-oblong, obtuse, hardly keeled, minutely scabrid. Palea ≈ lemma, keels sparsely scabrid, apex truncate, ciliate. Rachilla glabrous, 0.6–0.8 mm. Stamens 3; anthers 0.9–1.6 mm. Caryopsis 1.4–1.6 × 0.6–0.8 mm.

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