Anthosachne aprica (Á.Löve & Connor) C.Yen & J.L.Yang

Erect glaucous tussock from a narrow base, with intravaginal branching though sometimes rhizomatous; spikelets widely divergent from rachis, and anthesis occurring after complete spike emergence reveals long purple anthers. Leaf-sheath 7–10 cm, keeled, striate, becoming fibrous, glabrous or occasionally sparsely hairy or pubescent mixed with hairs 1 mm; margins chartaceous. Ligule 0.3–0.5 mm, ciliate. Collar thickened short stiff hairy, occasionally glabrous, margin hairs 1–1.5 mm. Auricles 0.3–0.5 mm, clasping, or absent, long (1–2 mm) hairs occasional. Leaf-blade 20–30 cm × 2–4 mm, glaucous, flat, ribbed, sometimes involute, abaxially glabrous, occasionally with hairs to 1 mm, adaxially densely hairy at base; margin prickle-toothed or becoming so, occasionally with hairs to 1 mm below. Culm 50–100 cm, erect, nodes conspicuous black to red brown, internodes glabrous. Inflorescence 18–25 cm, stiff, of 3–7 widely divergent spikelets; margin sparsely antrorsely toothed or short hairy. Spikelets 30–50 mm, of 6–12 florets occasionally more. Glumes ± equal, 5–10 mm, 3-nerved, acute or becoming shortly awned, margin chartaceous and ciliate. Lemma 10–14 mm, glabrous except for prickle-teeth above and on margin below, keeled above, apex occasionally bifid, awn 22–45 mm, ± recurved or straight. Palea 6–13 mm, apex bifid. Rachilla 2–3 mm, short stiff hairy. Callus 0.75 mm, incompletely and shortly bearded. Lodicules 1–2.5 mm. Anthers 4–9 mm, usually purple often yellow. Gynoecium: ovary 2 mm; stigma-styles 2–3 mm. Caryopsis 7–10 mm; embryo 1.6–2 mm. 2n= 42.

[From: Edgar and Connor (2000) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 5 as Elymus apricus Á.Löve et Connor]