Rytidosperma racemosum (R.Br.) Connor & Edgar

Variable in size and habit from short, loose, slender, to large, stout, wiry tufts, bright green, ± shortly rhizomatous; leaves ≤ culms; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath light brown, glabrous or with ± stiff, scattered hairs; apical tuft of hairs to 3–(4) mm. Ligule 0.2–0.5 mm. Leaf-blade to 25 cm, ± flat, to 2 mm wide, or narrow and rolled, scattered or abundant, ± stiff hairs, or glabrous, margins closely scabrid. Culm to 90 cm, internodes smooth or minutely scabrid below inflorescence. Panicle to 15 cm, erect, racemose with few short branches below. Spikelets few to many on short pedicels; rachis uniformly short-scabrid, pedicels often bare below spikelets or with slightly longer hairs. Spikelets 5–10-flowered, awns, and sometimes upper florets, exserted from glumes. Glumes light green, margins purple above, 8–12 mm, lanceolate, subacute, ± equal; lower (5)–7-nerved, upper 5–(7)-nerved, sometimes a few scattered hairs. Lemma 2.5–3.5 mm, 9-nerved, upper row of hairs ≤ lemma, in large marginal and adjacent tufts with usually two, sometimes more or occasionally 0 central tufts, lower row of hairs continuous, reaching upper hairs, elsewhere glabrous or a few scattered hairs, obviously narrowed and prominently nerved above callus; lobes 5–10 mm, abruptly narrowed to awns; central awn 11–14 mm, column (1.5)–2–3–(4) mm. Palea 3.5–5 mm, = upper marginal tufts, interkeel and margins glabrous. Callus very narrow, (0.6)–0.9–1.5 mm, marginal hair tufts short, usually < lower lemma hairs. Rachilla minute, 0.1–0.2 mm. Anthers 0.3–1.2 and 1.4–2.0 mm. Caryopsis 1.7–2.1 × 0.8–1.1 mm; embryo 0.8–0.9 mm; hilum 0.4–0.5 mm.

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