Bothriochloa macra (Steud.) S.T.Blake

Loosely or densely tufted, sometimes rather straggling, geniculate at base with erect culms; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath pale creamy green to light brownish, subcoriaceous, keeled, glabrous, rarely with one or two long, fine, tubercle-based hairs towards base near margin, or sparsely hairy throughout. Ligule 0.5–1 mm, finely ciliate. Leaf-blade 4.5–8 cm × 2–3 mm, lanceolate, scabrid-papillose and with long, fine, sparse, tubercle-based hairs, keel prominent; margins minutely scabrid, often with a few, long, fine, tubercle-based hairs near ligule; long-tapered to acuminate tip; culm-leaves subpseudopetiolate. Culm (15)–20–60–(80) cm, nodes usually pubescent, internodes occasionally with scattered hairs below inflorescence. Racemes (2)–3–(4), subdigitate, 2–6 cm, naked near base for c. 0.5 cm, erect or curving but not spreading, shortly pedunculate, peduncles 2–5.5 mm, occasionally sparsely hairy, usually with a few hairs in axils between racemes; spikelet pedicels 3–4 mm, margins densely ciliate. Pedicelled spikelet Ø: 2.5–4.5 mm, consisting of glumes only; lower glume 7–9-nerved, linear-lanceolate, subobtuse, margins and nerves near tip ciliate-scabrid, upper usually much shorter, hyaline; rarely lower pedicelled spikelets ♂ with small hyaline lemma and 3 stamens, anthers c. 2 mm. Sessile spikelet: 4.5–5.5 mm, greenish purple, surrounded at base by callus hairs to 1 mm, glumes thinly coriaceous, lower = spikelet, 5–7-nerved, linear-lanceolate, with scattered hairs especially in lower ½, tip obtuse with short stiff hairs, glume not pitted but sometimes with a depression at centre, upper slightly shorter, finely scabrid on keel near tip; lemma of lower floret c. ¾ length of glumes, ovate-lanceolate, tip erose; lemma of upper floret, narrow at base and topped by a stout, brown, geniculate 20–30 mm awn; palea 0; stamens 3, anthers 1.2–1.8 mm; gynoecium: ovary 1–1.2 mm, stigma-styles 3.5–4 mm; caryopsis c. 2.5 mm, purplish, embryo c. 1 mm, hilum basal c. 0.3 mm.

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