Koeleria novozelandica

Detailed description

Extremely variable, slender, occasionally lush, tufted or very shortly rhizomatous perennial, of low to medium stature, 4–46–(82) cm, with leaves varying from greyish green to green and from tightly inrolled to flat, with erect culms and usually spike-like panicles, sometimes greatly overtopping leaves; branching extravaginal. Leaf-sheath abaxially glabrous, scabrid, pubescent or villous. Ligule membranous, truncate, often erose and/or somewhat ciliate, (0.2)–0.3–1.3 mm. Collar often thickened and paler near margins, often with long hairs on upper margins. Leaf-blade flat, folded or involute, linear to ± filiform, 3–15–(30) cm × 1–1.5 mm diam., or up to 2–(4) mm wide, abaxially glabrous, scabrid, pubescent or villous, adaxially ribbed, scabrid to densely villous, especially on ribs; margins ± scabrid, often with long hairs below, apex acute, hooded. Culm to 41–(66) cm, internodes entirely glabrous or frequently minutely pubescent below panicle, often scabrid to villous above and/or below nodes, very occasionally pubescent throughout. Panicle (2.0)–3.0–16 × 0.5–1.2 cm, spike-like or occasionally lanceolate, sometimes interrupted, with appressed-ascending branches; branches and pedicels glabrous, scabrid or pubescent to villous; bract subtending panicle glabrous, or often tipped by long hairs, or absent. Spikelets (3.8)–4.5–5.8–(7) mm, 2–3–(5)-flowered, light green, often purplish to brownish. Glumes subequal, membranous with wide hyaline margins above, oblong-lanceolate to elliptic; lower 3.0–4.8 mm, 1–3-nerved, upper 3.2–5.2 mm, 3–4-nerved. Lemma (3.0)–3.8–4.7–(5.5) mm, 3–5-nerved, oblong, narrow obovate, or lanceolate, acute, acuminate or occasionally obtuse, entire, mucronate or shortly awned (sometimes within one panicle), apex sometimes minutely bidentate; awn apical or subapical, to 1.5–(3.2) mm. Palea 3.5–4.3 mm, recurved from base, keel prickle-toothed above. Callus hairs (0.1)–0.2–0.5–(0.7) mm. Rachilla 0.6–1.5–(1.9) mm, hairs 0.2–1.4 mm; prolongation c. 1 mm, hairs short (0.3 mm). Lodicules 0.7–1.1 mm. Anthers 0.8–2.5 mm. Gynoecium: ovary 0.5–0.8 mm; stigma-styles 1–1.4 mm. Caryopsis c. 2 × 0.4 mm.