Lachnagrostis pilosa (Buchanan) Edgar

Often robust, wide-leaved, perennial tufts, (5)–30–90 cm, with dull green somewhat harsh leaves drying dark green, and large, firm, pale green, many-flowered panicles; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath similar in texture to blade, firm, striate, smooth, or finely scabrid above, green to light brown. Ligule 1.3–6 mm, tapered, rounded, becoming denticulate, abaxially finely scabrid. Leaf-blade (2)–6–28 cm × (0.5)–2–6.5–(10) mm, abaxially with numerous fine, finely scabrid ribs, midrib prominent near base, adaxially finely ribbed and finely scabrid on ribs; margins finely scabrid, tip subobtuse. Culm 20–40–(66) cm, erect. Panicle (2)–12–28 × (1)–6–20 cm, at first stiff and contracted with erect branches, at maturity more lax and ovate-elliptic; rachis smooth below, scabrid above, primary branches sparsely scabrid, filiform, very long, erect, secondary branchlets much shorter, very numerous, capillary, scaberulous, tipped by several clustered spikelets. Spikelets (3)–3.5–5.5–(6) mm, light green. Glumes ± equal, smooth and membranous, rarely sparsely scabrid in upper half, acute to acuminate; lower elliptic-lanceolate, scabrid on upper ⅔ of keel, upper linear-lanceolate, scabrid on upper ½ of keel. Lemma < ⅔ length of glumes, elliptic-oblong, truncate, lateral nerves shortly excurrent. Palea elliptic-oblong, nerves c. 0.2 mm apart, apex shallowly bifid. Lodicules c. 0.5 mm, lanceolate, acute. Caryopsis 1.3–1.8 × 0.4–0.6 mm. Fig. 9.

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