Thamnochortus cinereus feathery branches

The fertile scapes of Thamnochortus cinereus are simple, often with sterile branches clustered at the nodes in the year after flowering. These branches are velvety green and may be densely feathery. Restios have no leaves, but these flourishing green stems serve well as substitutes.

Some brown leaf sheaths, wrapped tightly around the culms above the nodes and persisting there, can be seen in the picture (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Dorrat-Haaksma and Linder, 2012).