- ≡ Deyeuxia billardierei var. tenuis Cheeseman, Man. New Zealand Fl. 870 (1906)
- ≡ Deyeuxia tenuis (Cheeseman) Zotov, Rec. Domin. Mus. 5: 139 (1965)
Stiff, leafy tufts 18–36 cm, with narrow ± inrolled leaves and lax panicles; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath subcoriaceous, ± obviously ribbed, glabrous, light brown. Ligule 1–3.2 mm, truncate, erose, minutely ciliate, abaxially scabrid. Leaf-blade 2–12 cm × 0.3–0.9 mm diam., inrolled, abaxially smooth, sometimes scabrid near tip, adaxially ribbed and short-scabrid on ribs, margins smooth, tip obtuse. Culm 5–20 cm, usually included within uppermost leaf-sheath, internodes densely, finely scabrid below panicle. Panicle (3)–6–12 × 2–8–(12) cm, delicate; branches fine, scabrid, erect to spreading, bearing spikelets at tips. Spikelets 3–5 mm, light green to light brown. Glumes 1–(3)-nerved, elliptic-lanceolate, ± acuminate, strongly keeled, keel finely scabrid in upper ½-⅔. Lemma 3–4.2 mm, ≈ glumes, firmly membranous, glabrous, papillose-scabrid, elliptic-lanceolate, lateral nerves sharply excurrent to c. 1 mm; central awn 3.5–6.5 mm, geniculate, from lower ⅓ of lemma. Palea 2.5–3 mm, c. ⅔ length of lemma, lanceolate, apex bifid, keels scabrid, margins submembranous, scabrid near apex. Callus hairs ± dense, very short, 0.3–0.8 mm, c. ¼ length of lemma. Rachilla prolongation1.5–2.5 mm, with very short hairs throughout except sometimes near tip, rarely completely glabrous. Lodicules 0.7–1 mm, lanceolate, acute. Anthers (0.5)–0.7–0.9 mm. Caryopsis 1.4–1.6 × 0.5–0.7 mm.
[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 (second printing).]