Deyeuxia frigida

Tufted or shortly rhizomatous perennial, culms rather stout, erect, to 150 cm high, usually purplish about the nodes and near the base. Leaves finely scabrous; blade flat, to 30 cm long and 7 mm wide (rarely more); ligule toothed or laciniate, 1–4 mm long. Inflorescence a loose panicle 15–35 cm long with branches widely spreading at maturity, the lower of which are bare toward the bases. Spikelets 4–5.5 mm long, usually somewhat purplish, maturing to straw-coloured; glumes gaping at maturity, narrowly acute, the lower shorter than the upper by c. 1 mm or more, scabrous along the keel; lemma subequal to upper glume, acute, rather coarsely scabrous, awned from about the middle; awn readily deciduous, twisted at base, about as long as lemma; callus hairs to c. 1.2 mm long; rachilla bristle c. 1 mm long, usually with a terminal tuft of hairs 0.5–1 mm long; anthers c. 2 mm long. Flowers Dec.–Apr.