Phalaris minor Retz.

Tufted annuals 10–100 cm, very slender to robust. Leaf-sheath firm, minutely scabrid or smooth, striate, light green sometimes purplish; upper sheaths slightly inflated. Ligule 2–6.5 mm, obtuse, slightly tapered. Leaf-blade 3–30 cm × 2–10 mm, long-tapered, finely ribbed, ribs finely scabrid especially near finely scabrid margins, tip acuminate. Culm 8–95 cm, internodes ridged. Panicle 1.5–6.5 × 1–2 cm, ovoid-oblong to cylindric; rachis and branches hidden, papillose, scabrid, sometimes only sparsely so. Spikelets 4.5–5.5 mm, light green. Glumes ± equal, 3-nerved, smooth, oblanceolate with sharply acute tip, keel finely scabrid, winged in upper ½, wing usually toothed near abruptly narrowed apex. Ø florets: lemmas very unequal, lower c. 0.3 mm, a glabrous shining minute scale, upper 0.9–1.3 mm, lanceolate, acute, hairy. ☿ floret: lemma 2.5–3 mm, ovate, acute, silky-haired; palea narrower than lemma, internerve long hairy or occasionally almost glabrous, apex ciliate; anthers 1–2 mm; caryopsis 2–2.3 × 0.8–1.2 mm.

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