Chionochloa conspicua (G.Forst.) Zotov subsp. conspicua
Leaf-sheath long hairy. Leaf-blade with 3 conspicuous ribs, abaxially with some long hairs below near keel, adaxially with weft of long hairs at base. Glumes with prickle-teeth above; lower 1-3-nerved, upper 3-5-nerved. Lemma with prickle-teeth on lobes and margins; lateral lobes to 6.5 mm including awn to 2.5 mm. Palea internerve with few prickles or hairs at apex. Anthers to 3.5 mm. Plates 8C, 10C.
S.: in west from Nelson to Fiordland, and east of Main Divide in higher rainfall areas, Banks and Otago peninsulas; St. Forest, scrub, and some cleared areas; sea level to 1225 m.
Endemic.
On some plants in Nelson the leaf-sheath may be glabrous or hairs may be restricted to the keel, and the leaf-blade may lack the adaxial weft of long hairs e.g., CHR 187676 I. M. Ritchie; CHR 190997 A. P. Druce; CHR 262908 A. W. Purdie. In floret characters these conform to subsp. conspicua.
