Lachnagrostis billardierei (R.Br.) Trin.

Stiff, bluish green perennial tufts, 10–60 cm, with capillary-branched panicles sometimes overtopped by leaves; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath chartaceous, with wide membranous margins, closely striate, smooth but sometimes scaberulous above on nerves, light brown. Ligule (1)–2–4.5 mm, tapered above, entire to erose, abaxially scabrid. Leaf-blade (5)–10–24 cm × 2.5–6–(10) mm, flat, rather harsh, scaberulous on ribs and on margins throughout, ± abruptly narrowed to firm, ± blunt, ± hooded tip. Culm (4)–7–40 cm, erect, or decumbent at base, included within uppermost leaf-sheath, internodes densely finely scabrid. Panicle 6–24 × 10–24 cm, lax, with long, whorled, ascending branches, later spreading and panicle becoming as broad as long; rachis scaberulous, branches scaberulous, spikelets borne singly at tips of ultimate panicle branchlets, on pedicels thickened above. Spikelets (4)–5–6 mm, pale green to purplish. Glumes 1–(3)-nerved, narrow-lanceolate, acuminate, usually smooth, sometimes sparsely scabrid, margins wide, hyaline, midnerve scabrid. Lemma 3–4 mm, ± ⅔ length of glumes, smooth, or often scabrid above especially on nerves, firmly membranous, shining, elliptic-lanceolate, lateral nerves excurrent to short awns 0.5–1 mm; central awn (4.5)–5–9 mm, fine, geniculate, from lower ⅓ of lemma or rarely middorsal. Palea c. ⅔ length of lemma, hyaline with 2 faint keels near centre, keels finely scabrid at minutely bifid apex. Callus hairs ± dense, very short, 0.3–0.7 mm, c. Z\z/ length of lemma. Rachilla prolongation 0.5–1 mm, tipped by a thick tuft of hairs 1–1.5 mm and ≈ palea. Lodicules slightly > 0.5 mm, lanceolate, acute. Anthers (0.5)–0.7–1 mm. Caryopsis 1.3–1.8 × 0.5–0.8 mm.

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