Annual or short-lived, often slightly glaucous perennial, hardly tufted, culms erect, c. 1–3(–5) m high. Leaves glabrous; blade flat to 50 cm long and 2 cm wide, lightly scabrous; ligule membranous, 8–20 mm long. Inflorescence a broad open panicle, 15–50 cm long, the lower branches to 25 cm or more and often drooping. Spikelets 3–7-flowered, 7–10 mm long, wholly green or tinged purple; glumes 3-nerved, scabrous on the nerves, the lower 3–7 mm long, the upper 4–8 mm long; lowest lemmas 5–7.2 mm long, firm-textured except for the thinly membranous apex; palea subequal to lemma. Flowers Nov.–Mar.
VVP, GipP, OtP, CVU, GGr, DunT, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, HFE, VAlp. Apparently short-lived and rare in mature or undisturbed forests.
There are 3 informally recognised subspecies, 2 in Victoria.
Source:
Walsh, N.G. (1994). Poaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 2, Ferns and Allied Plants, Conifers and Monocotyledons, pp. 356–627. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
