Flora of New Zealand Series

Strikingly pale buff stiff tufts 25-35 cm high. Leaves plano-convex, much > stems; sheaths dark brown to purple-red. Female spikes c. 5, distant, ± sessile, very pale brown, to 2 cm × 3-4 mm. Utricle-beak scabrid, deeply cleft, ± 0.5 mm long. Stigmas 3.

S. Mackenzie Country and N. Otago. Lowland to montane in very dry short-tussock grassland.

C. albula is closely related to C. comans, but is distinguished by the almost white leaves, pale cream glumes and stiffer habit. A localized sp., confined to very dry sites; troublesome in sown grassland and lucerne crops developed on land previously under modified tussock grassland. C. albula is sometimes mistaken at a distance for Nassella trichotoma, nassella tussock, because of similarity in habit, colour, character of infestations, and habitat.