2n = 28

Slender, low-growing, to 25–(36) cm, with fine rhizomes, leaves often reddish purple, diverging at an angle of c. 30°, and erect panicles at maturity wel l overtopping leaves; branching extravaginal, often intravaginal above; sheaths persistent and becoming dark brown. Leaf-sheath strongly ribbed, abaxially puberulous between nerves, pale straw to purple-suffused. Ligule truncate to subacute, 0.6–1.1 mm, ciliate. Leaf-blade 3.2–9.5–(17) cm × 0.3–1.2 mm, usually folded or involute, or flat, linear to filiform, abaxially glabrous, very rarely pubescent, adaxially strongly ribbed, nerves puberulous, margin finely scabrid. Culms 5.8–20–(30) cm, often geniculate at base, erect, glabrous, or rarely pubescent or villous, stramineous to reddish purple. Panicle 2–5–(7) × 0.3–1.0 cm, spiciform, ± interrupted; rachis, branches, and pedicels pubescent, rarely glabrous. Spikelets (3.6)–4.2–6.5 mm, 2–(3)-flowered, bright green, noticeably banded with purple and golden brown, later stramineous. Glumes subequal, lanceolate to elliptic-ovate, acute or obtuse, margin often minutely toothed above; lower 3.5–4.1 mm, 1–3- nerved, narrower than upper, keel scabrid in upper 1/3, upper 4.0–4.2 mm, 3–5–(7)-nerved. Lemma 4.0– 4.6 mm, elliptic, often minutely scabrid above, entire or mucronate or shortly apically awned or with a short, slender, straight, subapical awn to 2 mm, tip entire or minutely bidentate. Palea 4.0–4.2 mm, keels with prickle-teeth in upper 2/3 ; palea of lower floret < lemma, palea of upper floret = lemma. Callus hairs 0.2–0.4 mm. Rachilla 0.8–1.2 mm with hairs to 0.9 mm; prolongation to 1.5 mm with hairs to 1.0 mm. Lodicules (0.5)–1.0–1.2 mm. Anthers (0.5)–0.9–1.7 mm. Gynoecium: ovary 0.8–1 mm; stigma-styles c. 1 mm. Caryopsis c. 2.0 × 0.7 mm. Endemic.

Gramen lepidum saepe rubens, rhizomatibus tenuibus, innovationibus extravaginalibus, foliis planis ascendentibus, culmis basim geniculatis paniculisque angustis interruptis spiciformibus praeditum ; K. novozelandicae affine, differt autem rhizomatibus longioribus gracilioribus et palea floris secundi lemma plus minusve aequanti. Incolit solum udum in locis gramineis et in lacunarum marginibus.