Austrostipa scabra

Tufted perennial, culms erect, to 60 cm high, nodes apparent, glabrous, scabrous or shortly pubescent. Leaves smooth, scabrous or shortly pubescent; blade strongly folded to involute, to 30 cm long, to 1 mm diam.; ligule ciliate, 0.5–1.5 mm long. Inflorescence a panicle to 30 cm long, the base occasionally concealed by uppermost leaf-sheath. Glumes 8–15 mm long, usually purplish initially, soon becoming straw-coloured, acuminate or acute, subequal or the lower up to 4 mm longer than upper; lemma 4.5–6.5 mm long, golden brown at maturity, smooth, with moderately dense short white hairs; callus 1–3 mm long; awn falcate, 40–70 mm long, the straight part 5–8 mm long, scabrous; palea slightly shorter than lemma, with a sparse line of hairs down the centre.