Lachnagrostis elata Edgar

Rather slender, perennial tufts, 30–80 cm, usually with narrow leaves and very lax panicles with few branches tipped by few spikelets; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath submembranous, with few, distinct ribs, very sparsely, finely scabrid throughout or only above. Ligule 1.2–5–(8) mm, truncate and erose in lower leaves, tapering in upper leaves, abaxially scabrid. Leaf-blade 3–25 cm × 0.4–1.5–(2.5) mm, flat, or folded and ± involute, narrow-linear, abaxially almost smooth near base to closely scabrid near acute tip, adaxially ribbed and scabrid on ribs, margins scabrid. Culm 6–50 cm, ± geniculate at base, internodes minutely retrorsely scabrid above. Panicle 4–30 × 3–20–(30) cm, very lax at maturity, often wider than long; primary branches naked, capillary, finely scabrid, becoming horizontal or reflexed, secondary branchlets much shorter, each tipped by a single spikelet. Spikelets 3–8 mm, light green to purplish. Glumes ± equal, elliptic-lanceolate, scabrid above on keel and near hyaline margin, tip acute to sometimes acuminate. Lemma (2.5)–3–3.8 mm, c. ¾ length of glumes, 5-nerved, with scattered short hairs usually near margins on lower ⅔, or rarely glabrous, elliptic-oblong, truncate, denticulate, lateral nerves usually very shortly excurrent, margins and nerves finely scabrid near apex; awn (0.3)–1–5 mm, usually straight, sometimes curved, arising dorsally from just above midpoint of keel to just below lemma apex, rarely awn 0. Palea c. ½ length of lemma or shorter, keels ± distinct, c. 0.2 mm apart, apex shallowly bifid. Callus hairs to 1 mm, to ⅓ length of lemma. Rachilla prolongation 0.1–0.8 mm, with tuft of hairs to 1 mm; rarely 0. Lodicules 0.6–0.9 mm, linear, acute. Anthers (0.6)–0.8–1.2 mm. Caryopsis 1.5–1.8 × 0.5–0.7 mm.

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