Strict, crowded tufts with erect leaves and culms, occasionally shortly rhizomatous; leaves semi-pungent, very much < culms, to about half length of culms, or sometimes almost = culms; new shoots intravaginal. Sheaths whitish cream, glabrous, or with few to many hairs usually near collar; collar hairs 2-3.5 mm long; ligule 0.3-0.5 mm long; lamina to 17 cm long, dull green, narrowly inrolled, or flatter, with scattered to dense, short, stiff hairs, sometimes glabrous, margins closely scabrous. Culms up to 45-(65) cm tall, glabrous, with a few short hairs just below inflorescence. Panicles erect, up to 5—(10) cm long, compact, with few, large spikelets on short pedicels; rhachis and pedicels closely short-scabrous, often with stiff longer hairs at branch axils and below spike lets; spikelets 4—9-flowered, awns much exserted from glumes. Glumes green, purpled, lanceolate, subacute, ± equal, 11-15-(19)mm long, both 5-7-nerved, occasionally with a few long hairs or densely hairy. Lemma 2.7-4 mm long, 9-nerved, with two, rarely sparse to usually continuous, often dense rows of hairs, upper row < lemma lobes, lower row usually reaching base of upper, occasionally almost overlapping, usually glabrous elsewhere, occasionally with a few short scattered hairs centrally and on margins, adaxially usually with few longer hairs close to base of awn sinus; lemma lobes (6.5)-7-10- (11) mm long, tapering to long awns. Central awn 10.5-20 mm long; column (3)-4-5 mm long, usually much > upper lemma hairs. Palea (3.2)-5-6 mm long, narrow-lanceolate, < upper lemma hairs, sometimes with a few hairs between keels, margins usually with long fine hairs. Callus (0.6)—1—1.4 mm long, very dense marginal hair tufts often reaching to base of lower lemma hairs. Rhachilla 0.1-0.2- (0.4) mm long. Anthers 0.3-0.6 and 0.7-2 mm long. Caryopsis c. 2 × 1 mm; embryo c. 1 mm long; hilum c. 0.7 mm long. Naturalised in New Zealand from Australia.

Strict, crowded tufts with erect leaves and culms, occasionally shortly rhizomatous; leaves semi-pungent, ≤ culms; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath whitish cream, glabrous, or few to many hairs usually near collar; apical tuft of hairs 2-3.5 mm. Ligule 0.3-0.5 mm. Leaf-blade to 17 cm, dull green, narrowly inrolled, or flatter, scattered to dense, short, stiff hairs, sometimes glabrous, margins closely scabrid. Culm to 45-(65) cm, internodes glabrous but with a few short hairs just below inflorescence. Panicles erect, to 5-(10) cm, compact, few, large spikelets on short pedicels; rachis and pedicels closely short-scabrid, often with stiff longer hairs at branch axils and below spikelets. Spikelets 4-9-flowered, awns much exserted from glumes. Glumes green, purple-tinged, lanceolate, subacute, ± equal, 11-15-(19) mm, both 5-7-nerved, occasionally a few long hairs or densely hairy. Lemma 2.7-4 mm, 9-nerved, with two, rarely sparse to usually continuous, often dense rows of hairs, upper row &lt; lemma lobes, lower row usually reaching base of upper, occasionally almost overlapping, usually glabrous elsewhere, occasionally a few short scattered hairs centrally and on margins, adaxially usually few longer hairs close to base of awn sinus; lobes (6.5)-7-10-(11) mm, tapering to long awns; central awn 10.5-20 mm, column (3)-4-5 mm usually » upper lemma hairs. Palea (3.2)-5-6 mm, narrow-lanceolate, &lt; upper lemma hairs, occasional interkeel hairs, margins usually with long fine hairs. Callus (0.6)-1-1.4 mm, very dense marginal hair tufts often reaching to base of lower lemma hairs. Rachilla 0.1-0.2-(0.4) mm. Anthers 0.3-0.6 and 0.7-2 mm. Caryopsis c. 2 × 1 mm; embryo c. 1 mm; hilum c. 0.7 mm.