Rytidosperma Steud.

Tufted perennials, short or moderately tall, with intra- or extravaginal branching. Leaf-sheath with apical tuft of hairs sometimes extending dorsally, abaxially ± shining, glabrous or hairy. Ligule a rim of hairs. Leaf-blade persistent or disarticulating at ligule, flat or inrolled, ± flaccid, or stiff, abaxially glabrous or hairy, adaxially minutely prickle-toothed, occasionally with long hairs, margins smooth or scabrid. Inflorescence a raceme, racemose panicle or panicle. Rachis and pedicels slender, often hairy at branch-axils and usually scabrid to hairy below erect few- to several-flowered spikelets; florets ☿; disarticulating above glumes and between florets. Glumes ± equal, firmly membranous, keeled above, nerves 3–13, anastomosing, occasionally internerves long-hairy, adaxially with minute prickle-teeth. Lemma with two scabrid lateral lobes usually tipped by a minute to long, straight awn; central awn from sinus longer and stronger, usually geniculate, column ± twisted; nerves 5–9, anastomosing; abaxially pilose in two complete or incomplete transverse series of tufts of rigid hairs, sometimes reduced to marginal tufts. Palea membranous, keels and apex finely ciliate, interkeel glabrous or hairy, margins glabrous or with a few long hairs below. Callus abaxially ± flat or rounded, disarticulation oblique, margins variously long hairy. Rachilla and prolongation glabrous. Lodicules 2, cuneate, apically long-hairy, or glabrous. Stamens 3. Gynoecium: ovary glabrous; styles 2, free, swollen below. Caryopsis free, obovate to elliptic, planoconvex; embryo ⅓-½ caryopsis; hilum ± ⅓-⅕ caryopsis, round to somewhat elliptic. Chasmogamous and cleistogamous. Plates 6A, 11, 12.

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