Gastridium ventricosum (Gouan) Schinz & Thell.

Erect tufts (9)–18–65 cm. Leaf-sheath submembranous, striate, smooth or sometimes scabrid, sometimes ± inflated. Ligule 1–3 mm, striate, truncate or rounded, becoming lacerate, abaxially often minutely scabrid. Leaf-blade 2–10 cm × 1–3 mm, scabrid, or sometimes smooth abaxially; margins scabrid, tip very finely acuminate. Culm erect or geniculate at base, internodes glabrous. Panicle 2–12–(14.5) × 0.6–1.5 cm, shining, lanceolate or cylindric, usually tapered above; rachis and branches minutely scabrid, hidden. Spikelets 3.5–5 mm, light green. Glumes smooth, swollen and rounded below, narrowed above and tapering to long-acuminate tip, keel scabrid; lower = spikelet, upper c. ¾ length of spikelet. Lemma 0.9–1.2 mm, hyaline, sparsely short-hairy near margins and in upper ⅓; awn 3–4.2 mm, very fine, geniculate, or 0 within the same spikelet. Palea hyaline, glabrous. Anthers 0.6–0.8 mm. Caryopsis 0.7–0.9 × 0.4–0.6 mm.

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