Variable in size and habit from short, loose, slender, to large, stout, wiry tufts, bright green, ± shortly rhizomatous; leaves < to ± = culms; new shoots extravaginal. Sheaths light brown, glabrous or with ± stiff, scattered hairs; collar hairs to 3-(4) mm long; ligule 0.2-0.5 mm long; lamina to 25 cm long, ± flat, to 2 mm wide, or narrow and rolled, with scattered or abundant, ± stiff hairs, or glabrous, margins closely scabrous. Culms to 90 cm tall, glabrous throughout or minutely scabrous below inflorescence. Panicle up to 15 cm long, erect, racemose with few short branches below; spikelets few to many on short pedicels; rhachis uniformly shortscabrous, pedicels often bare below spikelets or with slightly longer hairs. Spikelets 5-10-flowered, awns, and sometimes upper florets, exserted from glumes. Glumes light green, margins purple above, 8-12 mm long, lanceolate, subacute, ± equal, lower (5)-7- nerved, upper 5-(7)-nerved, sometimes with a few scattered hairs. Lemma 2.5-3.5 mm long, 9-nerved, upper row of hairs ± = or < lemma, in large marginal and adjacent tufts with usually two, sometimes more or occasionally 0 central tufts, lower row of hairs continuous, reaching upper hairs, elsewhere glabrous or with a few scattered hairs, obviously narrowed and prominently nerved above callus; lemma lobes 5-10 mm long, abruptly narrowed to awns. Central awn 11-14 mm long; column (1.5)—2— 3-(4) mm long. Palea 3.5-5 mm long, = upper marginal tufts, glabrous between keels and on margins. Callus very narrow, (0.6)-0.9-1.5 mm long, marginal hair tufts short, usually not reaching lower lemma hairs. Rhachilla minute, 0.1-0.2 mm long. Anthers 0.3-1.2 and 1.4-2.0 mm long. Caryopsis 1.7-2.1 × 0.8-1.1 mm; embryo 0.8-0.9 mm long; hilum 0.4-0.5 mm long. Naturalised in New Zealand from Australia.

Variable in size and habit from short, loose, slender, to large, stout, wiry tufts, bright green, ± shortly rhizomatous; leaves ≤ culms; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath light brown, glabrous or with ± stiff, scattered hairs; apical tuft of hairs to 3-(4) mm. Ligule 0.2-0.5 mm. Leaf-blade to 25 cm, ± flat, to 2 mm wide, or narrow and rolled, scattered or abundant, ± stiff hairs, or glabrous, margins closely scabrid. Culm to 90 cm, internodes smooth or minutely scabrid below inflorescence. Panicle to 15 cm, erect, racemose with few short branches below. Spikelets few to many on short pedicels; rachis uniformly short-scabrid, pedicels often bare below spikelets or with slightly longer hairs. Spikelets 5-10-flowered, awns, and sometimes upper florets, exserted from glumes. Glumes light green, margins purple above, 8-12 mm, lanceolate, subacute, ± equal; lower (5)-7-nerved, upper 5-(7)-nerved, sometimes a few scattered hairs. Lemma 2.5-3.5 mm, 9-nerved, upper row of hairs ≤ lemma, in large marginal and adjacent tufts with usually two, sometimes more or occasionally 0 central tufts, lower row of hairs continuous, reaching upper hairs, elsewhere glabrous or a few scattered hairs, obviously narrowed and prominently nerved above callus; lobes 5-10 mm, abruptly narrowed to awns; central awn 11-14 mm, column (1.5)-2-3-(4) mm. Palea 3.5-5 mm, = upper marginal tufts, interkeel and margins glabrous. Callus very narrow, (0.6)-0.9-1.5 mm, marginal hair tufts short, usually &lt; lower lemma hairs. Rachilla minute, 0.1-0.2 mm. Anthers 0.3-1.2 and 1.4-2.0 mm. Caryopsis 1.7-2.1 × 0.8-1.1 mm; embryo 0.8-0.9 mm; hilum 0.4-0.5 mm.