Derivation
Notodanthonia Zotov, New Zealand J. Bot. 1: 104 (1963); from the Greek notos (south), thus the southern Danthonias.

gracilis- Latin for slender. Culms or inflorescences slender.

Published in
New Zealand J. Bot. 1: 123 (1963).

Common synonyms
Rytidosperma gracile (Hook.f.) Connor & Edgar
Danthonia gracilis Hook.f.

Habit
Perennial, loosely tufted. Stolons absent or present. Young shoots extravaginal. Culms 25–60 cm tall, without nodal roots or rooting from lower nodes. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface or pilose. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.2–1 mm long. Leaf-blades flat or involute, 10–25 cm long, 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins scabrous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Peduncle scaberulous above. Panicle open, 5–10 cm long. Panicle axis scabrous.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Pedicels scabrous. Fertile spikelets many flowered, comprising 3–4(–6) fertile florets, with diminished florets at the apex, cuneate, laterally compressed, 8.5–14 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.6–1 mm long. Floret callus evident, 0.3–0.5 mm long, pubescent.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, 7–12 mm long, equalling upper glume, membranous, 5–7-nerved. Lower glume apex acute or acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate, 7–12 mm long, 150% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, 3–5-nerved. Upper glume apex acute or acuminate.

Florets
Fertile lemma oblong, 1.6–7.5 mm long, chartaceous, 9-nerved. Lemma surface pubescent, with 2 transverse rows of hair tufts. Lemma apex lobed, 2-fid, with lobes 2.5–4.5 mm long, incised 66% of lemma length, 3-awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus, geniculate, 4.5–9 mm long overall, with a straight or slightly twisted column. Column 0.5–1.2 mm long. Lateral lemma awns present, arising on apex of lobes. Palea 2.5–4 mm long. Palea keels ciliolate. Palea surface pilose, hairy on back and on flanks. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. Lodicules 2, fleshy, ciliate. Anthers 3, 0.5–1.3 mm long. Grain with adherent pericarp, 0.9–1.8 mm long.

Continental Distribution:
Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
New South Wales, Tasmania.

New South Wales: South Coast. Tasmania: West Coast, Central Highlands, South West.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Danthonioideae

Notes
Tasmania and southern New South Wales, local along damp, mossy margins of rainforest; common and widespread in New Zealand. Flowers Jan.