Aristida obscura

Loosely tufted perennial, culms erect, simple or few-branched, to 50 cm high. Leaves few, basal and cauline; sheaths smooth and glabrous; blade flat to loosely inrolled, to 25 cm long and 3 mm wide, glabrous on lower (abaxial) surface,scabrous to shortly hispid on upper surface; ligule densely ciliate, c. 0.2 mm long. Inflorescence an open to mid-dense, cylindric or ovoid panicle, 7–15 cm long and nearly as wide (including awns); glumes unequal, narrow-acuminate, the lower 6–13 mm long, the upper 13–21 mm long; lemma convolute, narrow-cylindric, 10–14 mm long, shortly aculeate-hispid in the apical half, otherwise smooth, mottled purplish; awn branches subequal, 27–50 mm long. Flowers Nov.–Jan.