Agrostis petriei Hack.
≡A. petriei Hack. var. petriei (autonym Hackel 1903 op. cit. p. 379);
Holotype: W 36494! D. Petrie Nevis Valley, Hector Mts, Central Otago [Feb. 1890] (No 1092 to Hackel).
=A. petriei var. mutica Hack., T.N.Z.I. 35: 379 (1903);
Holotype: W 7926! D. Petrie Cromwell, Central Otago (No 1085 to Hackel).
Perennial, loose, tussocky, bluish green or greyish green clumps (15)-30-55 cm, with slender, strictly involute, finely scabrid leaves « culms; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath firm, light brown; lower sheaths minutely scabrid, upper sheaths smooth, sparsely ribbed. Ligule 1-4.5 mm, obtuse to truncate, denticulate, abaxially scabrid. Leaf-blade 4-10.5-(18) cm × 0.3-1 mm, stiff and wiry, densely minutely papillose-scabrid throughout, tip obtuse. Culm erect or geniculate at base, internodes glabrous. Panicle 4-16 cm, laxly oblong; rachis smooth, branches and pedicels ± spreading, very delicate, reddish brown, finely, sparsely scabrid. Spikelets 2.5-3.4 mm, pale greenish to brownish, sometimes purplish. Glumes ± equal, lanceolate, keel and margins usually finely scabrid near acute tip. Lemma 2-2.6 mm, glabrous, 5-nerved, ovate, obtuse to truncate, minutely denticulate; awn (1.5)-2-3 mm, middorsal, straight or slightly flexuous, sometimes 0. Palea 0.2-0.4 mm, orbicular. Lodicules 0.2-0.4 mm. Callus with very few short hairs. Anthers (c. 1)-1.3-1.8 mm. Caryopsis c. 1.5 × 0.5 mm.
S.: Mid and South Canterbury, mostly inland; Central Otago. Montane to subalpine on dry stony ground on river flats or in tussock grassland, on rock outcrops.
Endemic.
