Rytidosperma gracile (Hook.f.) Connor & Edgar
≡Danthonia gracilis Hook.f., Fl. N.Z. 1: 303, t. 69B (1853)
≡Notodanthonia gracilis (Hook.f.) Zotov, N.Z. J. Bot. 1: 123 (1963)
≡Thonandia gracilis (Hook.f.) H.P.Linder, Telopea 6: 612 (1996) comb. illeg.
≡Danthonia semiannularis var. gracilis (Hook.f.) Hook.f. Handbk N.Z. Fl. 333 (1864);
Lectotype: K! D. Monro 130/2 Rotoiti Lake, Aglionby Plains, New Zealand, 1851 (designated by Zotov 1963 op. cit. p. 123).
Tufts leafy, bright green, sometimes stoloniferous with prostrate culms rooting and sending up new tufts; leaves about ½ length of culms; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath light brown often purplish, scattered soft fine hairs towards collar or sometimes throughout, or quite glabrous; apical tuft of hairs (2)-3-4-(6) mm. Ligule (0.2)-0.4-0.7-(1) mm. Leaf-blade up to 25-(50) cm, flat with ± inrolled margins, 2-(4) mm wide, or completely inrolled, glabrous or often a few scattered long hairs near collar, sometimes almost all leaves with some long hairs throughout, margins finely scabrid. Culm to 50-(75) cm, internodes smooth but minutely scabrid below inflorescence. Panicle erect to ± loose and drooping from above, to 10-(14) cm, spikelets numerous on short pedicels; rachis and pedicels densely short-scabrid, occasionally with 1-2 longer hairs at branch axils. Spikelets 3-4-(6)-flowered, awns exserted from glumes. Glumes sometimes variously purple-tinged, lanceolate, acute to acuminate, 7-10-(12) mm; lower 5-7-nerved, upper (3)-5-nerved. Lemma 1.6-2.8 mm, 9-nerved, upper row of hairs continuous, ≈ lemma lobes, lower row not always well-defined and not reaching upper, elsewhere covered in numerous short hairs; lobes 2.5-4.5 mm, finely short-awned at tip; central awn 4.5-8.5-(9) mm, column 0.5-1.2 mm ≤ palea, « upper lemma hairs. Palea 2.5-4 mm, « upper lemma hairs, interkeel hairs few, margins long-hairy. Callus 0.3-0.5 mm, marginal hair tufts not reaching lower lemma hairs or scarcely overlapping them. Rachilla 0.4-1 mm, often with minute hairs at apex. Anthers 0.5-1.3 mm. Caryopsis 0.9-1.4 × 0.5-0.8 mm; embryo 0.4-0.6 mm; hilum 0.2-0.3 mm. 2 n = 24. Plate 12I.
N.: throughout; S.: throughout, only occasional in dry inland basins, and the plains, of Canterbury and Otago; St.; Ch. Grassland, scrub, forests, and modified sites in lowland to alpine zones.
Indigenous.
Also indigenous to Tasmania.
