Rytidosperma buchananii (Hook.f.) Connor & Edgar

Loose, dull green tussocks; leaves semi-pungent, usually « mature culms, disarticulating at ligule; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath pale stramineous, glabrous, rarely long scattered hairs; apical tuft of hairs (0.5)–1–2–(3) mm. Ligule 0.2–0.3–(0.6) mm. Leaf-blade to 30 cm, folded or tightly rolled, sometimes almost filiform, glabrous or rarely some long scattered hairs, margins scabrid near base and again towards tip. Culm to 50–(70) cm, internodes smooth but minutely scabrid below inflorescence. Panicle erect, to 10 cm, usually ± compact, of several spikelets; rachis and filiform pedicels closely short-scabrid with slightly longer hairs below spikelets and sometimes at branch axils. Spikelets (3)–4–5–(6)-flowered, awns slightly exserted from glumes. Glumes purplish centrally, lanceolate, subobtuse, (6)–7–10–(11) mm, ± equal; lower 5–7-nerved, upper 3–5-nerved. Lemma 2–3–(3.5) mm, 7–9-nerved, upper and lower rows of hairs usually sparse or lacking between dense marginal tufts, upper row < lemma lobes, lower row overlapping upper, glabrous and shining elsewhere, rarely one or two hairs centrally; lobes 1–2.5–(3) mm, tapering to a minute to short fine awn; central awn 2.5–5.5–(6.5) mm, column 1–2 mm, occasionally not developed, ≈ palea and upper lemma hairs. Palea 3–4 mm, ≈ upper lemma hairs, interkeel glabrous, margins rarely with a few long hairs. Callus c. 0.5 mm, marginal hair tufts much overlapping lower lemma hairs. Rachilla 0.5–1 mm. Anthers 0.5–1.3 mm. Caryopsis 1.2–1.8 × 0.5–0.7 mm; embryo 0.5–0.7 mm; hilum 0.2–0.3 mm. 2n= 72. Plate 12B.

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