Stenostachys enysii (Kirk) Barkworth & S.W.L.Jacobs

Small tufted or open, bronze flat-leaved grass rooting and shooting at nodes on stolons; culm slender and drooping, inflorescence often hidden in tussocks; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath 6–8 cm, long hairs retrorse or erect or pubescent; lobed at apex. Ligule 0.5–0.75 mm, erose, sometimes triangular. Collar slightly curved and thickened. Auricles small (0.75 mm), or minute. Leaf-blade 20 cm × 2–4 mm, flat, soft, abaxially densely retrorsely long hairy on and between ribs or glabrous, adaxially antrorsely prickle-toothed together with long hairs; margin prickle-toothed. Culm 25–80 cm, nodes few, ± geniculate below, internodes smooth or very slightly scabrid; upper internode elongating after flowering, sometimes reaching 60 cm. Inflorescence 5–13 cm, compact, of 10–18 spikelets. Spikelets 10–16 mm, shining, of 3–4 florets. Glumes ± equal, narrow, 6–9 mm, 1–3-nerved, scabrid, asymmetrically keeled, becoming awn-like, margin prickle-toothed. Lemma 7–10 mm, > palea, glaucous, glabrous except for prickle-teeth on nerves above; apex bifid; awn 1–3.5 mm; conspicuously indented at base. Palea 6–9 mm, keels toothed almost to base, apex shallowly bifid. Rachilla 1–2 mm, minutely stiff hairy. Callus 0.25 mm blunt, surrounded by minute hairs; disarticulation almost flat. Lodicules 1–1.25 mm, few apical hairs. Anthers 1.8–3 mm, yellow. Gynoecium: ovary 1.5 mm; stigma-styles 2–2.25 mm. Caryopsis 6 mm; embryo 1 mm. 2n= 28.

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