Flora of New Zealand Series

; Holotype: LY! G. M. T[homson] Dunedin, 1896.

Slender, dense to lax tufts, to somewhat rhizomatous. Leaf-sheath glabrous, ± striate. Ligule 0.5-1 mm, membranous. Collar thick recurved occasionally with a few hairs. Leaf-blade 2-10 cm × 1.5-3 mm, tapering, scabrid or glabrous, shallowly ribbed; margins toothed. Culm 20-40 cm, internodes glabrous. Panicle 5-10 cm, very lax, spreading, branches glabrous filiform, 1-2 at each node, pedicels glabrous 1-5 mm, spikelets congested in 3s or 4s. Glumes obovate, apiculate, subacute to obtuse, membranous with scarious margins above, 3-nerved; upper 3.5-4 mm. Florets > glumes, light brown at maturity. ♂ florets: lemma 3.25-4 mm, oblong, ovate, glabrous below, finely scabrid to pubescent above, margins silky ciliate; awns 1-3 mm, slender, ± straight, insertion 2.5-3.5 mm above base; palea 2.5-3.5 mm, hairs on keels to base and elsewhere, bifid apex ciliate; lodicules 0.75-1.25 mm, ± ovate, acute, irregularly lobed, ciliate; callus hairs to 1 mm; anthers 1.5-2-2.5 mm. ⚥ floret: lemma 2.5-3.5 mm, ovate, truncate, glabrous below hairy, muticous or mucronate apex; mucro subapical, 0.5-1 mm; palea 2.5-3 mm, oblong-ovate, 1-(2) keels hairy to base; lodicules 0.7-1.25 mm, ciliate; anthers (0.9)-1.2-1.9 mm; gynoecium: ovary 1 mm, stigma-styles 2.75-3.5 mm; caryopsis 2 × 0.75 mm, embryo c. 0.5 mm, hilum 0.5 mm.

N.: Mt Egmont; S.: Nelson and along main divide, also scattered to the east and west; St. Alpine.

Endemic.

Anthers are apiculate, and in some these continue as fine processes c. 0.1 mm long; these processes do not appear to be universal.

Names earlier applied to this sp. were H. borealis sensu Hook.f., H. alpina sensu Hook.f. and H. fraseri sensu Cheeseman, none of them correctly.