Puccinellia fasciculata (Torr.) E.P.Bicknell

Perennial, yellowish green or glaucous tufts, (3)–10–65 cm, with culms often much overtopping leaves; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath glabrous, subcoriaceous, greyish to straw-coloured. Ligule 0.5–1.5–(2) mm, truncate to rounded, or shortly tapered. Leaf-blade (3)–5–12 cm × (1.5)–2–3.5 mm, flat or folded, abaxially glabrous, adaxially shallowly ribbed, ribs scaberulous; margins scaberulous, tip hooded. Culm 15–40 cm, erect or spreading, internodes glabrous. Panicle (1.5)–4–15 × 0.4–5–(7) cm, lanceolate, or narrow-oblong to ovate, usually contracted, sometimes more open; branches scabrid, all, or at least the shortest, bearing densely clustered spikelets to the base. Spikelets 3.5–5.5 mm, (3)–4–5–(8)-flowered, greyish green, often purple tinged. Glumes ± unequal, elliptic to ovate, obtuse to subacute, midnerve often finely scabrid above, apex minutely ciliate; lower 0.7–1.5–(1.8) mm, 1-nerved, upper 1.2–2 mm, 3-nerved. Lemma 1.7–2.6 mm, 5-nerved, with short hairs at base and on lateral nerves for a short distance above base or sometimes on lower half, elliptic-oblong, apex subobtuse, minutely ciliate, midnerve minutely scabrid near lemma apex, often minutely excurrent Palea ˜ lemma, apex shallowly bifid, keels ciliate-scabrid in upper ½ -⅔. Rachilla 0.4–0.8 mm. Anthers 0.5–0.9 mm. Caryopsis 1.2–1.5 × 0.4–0.6 mm.

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