Rytidosperma clavatum (Zotov) Connor & Edgar

Variable in size and habit, from short and slender to larger and stout, dull green, densely soft-hairy or glabrous, shortly rhizomatous, spreading tufts; leaves « culms; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath light grey-brown, densely strict-hairy or glabrous; apical tuft of hairs to 5 mm, often extending dorsally below blade. Ligule 0.1–0.7 mm. Leaf-blade flat or sometimes folded, to 30 cm × 3–5 mm, abundant hairs, or glabrous, margins minutely scabrid. Culm to 90 cm, internodes smooth, or finely scabrid below inflorescence. Raceme or racemose panicle contracted, to 5.5–(9.5) cm, spikelets few to several on very short pedicels; rachis and pedicels shortly and densely scabrid with longer hairs below spikelets and at branch axils. Spikelets 5–10-flowered, awns exserted from glumes. Glumes occasionally purple-margined, lanceolate, subobtuse, ± equal, 8–13.5–(17.5) mm; lower (5)–7–9–(11)-nerved, upper 5–7–(9)-nerved, sometimes scattered long hairs. Lemma 2.5–3.5–(4.5) mm, 9-nerved, upper row of hairs ≥ lemma, in marginal tufts only, or two additional central tufts, lower row with short weak central tufts, or continuous, with longer marginal tufts barely, or not, reaching upper marginal tufts, elsewhere glabrous, shining; lobes 6–13 mm, gradually narrowed to long awns; central awn 9–14–(16) mm, column (2)–2.5–3.5 mm. Palea 3.3–5.5–(6) mm, > upper lemma hairs, interkeel glabrous, margins with several long hairs or glabrous. Callus 0.6–1.2 mm, strong marginal hair tufts overlapping lower lemma hairs. Rachilla 0.2–0.4 mm. Anthers 0.4–1.0 and 1.5–2.2 mm. Caryopsis 1.9–2.3–(3) × 0.8–1.1–(1.6) mm; embryo 0.7–1–(1.5) mm; hilum 0.4–0.5–(0.7) mm. Plate 11A.

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