Rytidosperma pallidum

Commonly forming clumps to 0.5 m diam. or more, sometimes developing rhizomes or stolons, culms erect, to 1.8 m high. Leaves glabrous; sheath smooth, commonly purplish; blade finely scabrous, usually closely inrolled but often nearly flat in alpine situations, to 40 cm long and 0.5–6 mm wide; ligule a dense line of hairs c. 0.5 mm long, with lateral tufts to 3 mm long. Inflorescence a loose, slender panicle to 35 cm long. Spikelets mostly 3–6-flowered; glumes usually purplish with pale margins, acuminate, sub-equal, 10–20 mm long; lemma 3–6 mm long, evenly covered with silky, semi-appressed hairs from base almost to the sinus; awn 8–14 mm long, twisted in lower third; lateral lobes acute, mostly 3–4 mm long; palea narrow, truncate, about as long as entire lemma (minus awn); anthers bright orange-red. Flowers Nov.–Feb