Hyparrhenia hirta

Tussock-forming perennial; culms to 120 cm high. Leaf-blades flat, folded or inrolled, to 40 cm long and 4 mm wide; sheaths glabrous; ligules to 3 mm long. Paired racemes of inflorescence c. 3 cm long, on slender, curved branches 3–8 cm long, pilose just below the racemes and exceeding the subtending pinkish bracts; sessile spikelet c. 4 mm long; sterile lemma subequal to glumes; fertile lemma shorter and narrower than sterile; awn golden-brown, hairy at base 1.5–2.5 cm long; pedicellate spikelet male, unawned, slightly longer than sessile one. Axis of rachis, pedicels and glumes all silky-hairy. Flowers Jan.–Mar.