Austrostipa oligostachya

Tufted perennial, culms erect, to 1 m high, nodes pubescent. Leaves glabrous, scabrous or lightly pubescent; sheath purple, blade usually involute, to 20 cm long and 1 mm diam; ligule ciliate, 0.5–2 mm long. Inflorescence an open panicle to 25 cm long. Glumes 11–18 mm long, purple at least in lower part, acuminate, the lower 1–3 mm longer than upper; lemma with 1 or 2 short apical lobes 0.1–0.5 mm long, usually with a constriction near the apex, 7–9 mm long, deep reddish-brown at maturity, antrorsely scabrous, strongly so near apex, with semi-appressed white or golden hairs at least in the lower part, usually sparse in the upper half; callus 2–3 mm long; awn twice bent, 50–80 mm long, 9–17 mm to the first bend, column scabrous or pubescent with hairs to 0.8 mm long; palea about equal to lemma, glabrous or sparsely pubescent along the centre line. Flowers Sep.–Dec.