Rytidosperma carphoides

Small tufted perennial. Culms to 40 cm high. Leaves with sparse short hairs; blade closely inrolled, to 20 (but usually less than 10) cm long and 1 mm wide. Panicle ovate, compact, sometimes the lower branches deflexed, mostly 2–4 cm long. Spikelets 2–5-flowered; glumes subequal, with rather broad, purplish marginal bands, acute 7–10 mm long; lemma broad, 3–5 mm long, moderately to densely covered on the dorsal surface with hairs c. 1 mm long with a longer (to 4 mm) upper series, surface granular but only apparent on less hairy specimens; lateral lobes erect, 2–4 mm long, broadly tapered to a short point; central awn shortly exceeding lateral lobes; palea broadly obovate, firm, shortly exceeding sinus. Flowers Oct.–Mar.