Chionochloa vireta

Detailed description

Delicate, gracile tussock with hairy, stramineous sheaths. Leaf-sheath to 100 mm, very hairy, entire, margins often undulose, apical tuft of hairs up to 3.5 mm. Ligule 0.5 mm. Leaf-blade up to 300 × 2.5 mm, more or less flat, to U or V-shaped, strongly keeled, twisting above, disarticulating at ligule, abaxial surfaces prickled toothed, adaxial also with prickle-teeth; margin with long hairs below, these becoming prickle-toothed or rarely, otherwise glabrous and smooth. Culm to 600 mm, slender, internodes glabrous. Inflorescence to 130 mm, glabrous except for long hairs at branch axils. Spikelets golden and purple, comprising up to 8 florets. Glumes usually less than nearest lemma lobes; lower to 10 mm, 1–3–5-nerved, upper to 11 mm, 3–5–7-nerved. Lemma 5.5 mm or less; hairs dense on margins and astride central nerve, sparse or absent otherwise; lateral lobes to 4 mm, shortly awned or triangular-acute; central awn to 7 mm arising from a flat, rarely twisting, column to 2 mm. Palea 7 mm or less. Callus to 1 mm, hairs to 2.5 mm. Rachilla to 1 mm. Anthers 3.5 mm. Ovary 1 mm, stigma-styles 2 mm. Seed 2 mm.