Flora of New Zealand Series

; Holotype: CHR 249929! A. P. Druce Stone C[reek], S.W. Mt Luna, 3800 ft; tussockland, Jan. 1971.

Tall robust perennial stoloniferous grass with loosely open to compact shoots of flat leaves, and a long nodding narrow inflorescence. Leaf-sheath 5-10 cm, keeled, frequently densely pubescent with short and long hairs, sometimes glabrous; becoming fibrous. Auricles 0.5-0.7 mm, scarcely clasping, very occasionally 1-2 long hairs. Ligule 0.25-0.5 mm, very faintly erose. Leaf-blade 10-30 cm × 1-2.5 mm, flat, thin, with abundant small prickle-teeth on ribs, very occasionally with hairs 0.5 mm between ribs abaxially and sometimes near ligule; margin prickle-toothed. Culm stout 40-190 cm, internodes glabrous, shining; nodes sometimes geniculate. Inflorescence slender, nodding, 10-20 cm, of 20-30 spikelets > internodes; rachis prolongation 2-6 mm. Spikelets to 15 mm, of 1-3 florets, shining; rachilla prolongation 3-3.5 mm. Glumes 2, 5-10 mm, equal, narrow canaliculate below soon becoming awn-like, prickle-toothed, closely appressed to floret above, < spikelet. Lemma 8-10 mm, smooth except for prickle-teeth below awn and near callus, sometimes pruinose, infrequently bifid at apex; scabrid awn 5-6.5 mm. Palea 8-10 mm, ≥ lemma; apex produced or retuse, ciliate; keels toothed. Callus short, surrounded by short stiff hairs; disarticulation flat. Rachilla 1.8-2 mm, with abundant stiff hairs. Lodicules 0.7-0.8 mm. Anthers 3-3.5 mm. Gynoecium: ovary 0.75-1 mm; stigma-styles to 2.5 mm. Caryopsis 5-5.5 mm; embryo 1-1.5 mm. Chasmogamous or cleistogamous.

S.: Nelson, north-western mountains. In tussock grassland and on river terraces; 800-1525 m.

Endemic.