Austrostipa exilis

Tufted perennial, culms fine (less than 1.5 mm diam. at base), erect, to 0.6 m high, nodes finely pubescent. Leaves pubescent; blade tightly involute to 20 cm long and 0.5 mm diam., flexuose; ligule ciliate, 0.5–1.5 mm long, with lateral hair-tufts to 2 mm long. Inflorescence a sparse slender panicle 8–15(–20) cm long. Glumes 8–11 mm long, purplish, acuminate, thinly membranous throughout, the lower longer by 2–4 mm than upper; lemma 5–6 mm long, maturing to dark brown or black, minutely granular, lightly covered with semi-appressed, white to golden hairs; coma erect with hairs no longer than those of the body of the lemma; callus 1–1.5 mm long; awn twice bent, 35–55 mm long, 9–15 mm to the first bend, column shortly pubescent or scabrous; palea slightly shorter than lemma, silky-hairy along the centre line. Flowers Oct.–Dec.