Rytidosperma pilosum (R.Br.) Connor & Edgar
Rather coarse, stiff, dense tufts, shortly rhizomatous; leaves « culms; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath pale, to light grey, glabrous or with scattered to dense hairs; apical tuft of hairs stiff, thick, to 2.5-(3.5) mm. Ligule 0.1-0.2 mm. Leaf-blade to 17 cm, rather harsh, grey-green, flat to inrolled, long stiff scattered hairs, margins closely scabrid. Culm stout, to 85 cm, internodes glabrous but minutely hairy below inflorescence. Panicle ± compact and broad to somewhat laxer, to 6 cm, of few large spikelets on short pedicels; rachis and pedicels rather sparsely, stiffly scabrid, with longer hair below spikelets and near branch axils. Spikelets 5-8-flowered, awns much exserted from glumes. Glumes pale, sometimes faintly purplish, lanceolate, subacute, ± equal, 8.5-12 mm, both 5-7-nerved, occasionally a few scattered hairs. Lemma (2)-3-4 mm, 9-nerved, upper row of hairs ≈ lemma, in a few isolated tufts, usually (0)-2-4 central tufts and 1-(2) denser marginal tufts, lower row dense and continuous, lower marginal tufts reaching or overlapping upper marginal tufts, elsewhere glabrous; lobes 7-10 mm, tapering to fine awns; central awn 12.5-15 mm, column 3-5 mm. Palea 2.5-3.7 mm, = upper marginal tufts, ≥ awn sinus, interkeel glabrous, margins glabrous or with a few long fine hairs. Callus 0.8-1 mm, thick marginal hair tufts overlapping lower lemma hairs. Rachilla 0.2-0.3 mm. Anthers c. 0.4 and 0.8-1.7 mm. Caryopsis 1.2-2 × 0.7-1 mm; embryo 0.5-0.9 mm; hilum 0.4-0.5 mm.
N.: southwards to Raglan in west and to near Opotiki in east, also in Wairarapa; S.: coastal areas of Nelson, Marlborough, and North and Mid Canterbury. Grasslands and modified sites in lowland zone.
Naturalised from Australia.
