Rytidosperma setifolium, the bristle tussock or mountain danthonia, is a species of grass, endemic to New Zealand. It is known largely from alpine areas.
Description Rytidosperma setifolium is a perennial plant. It grows in low tussocks. The glumes are purple, from red to black.
Distribution and habitat Rytidosperma setifolium is known from the North, South, and Stewart Island in New Zealand. It grows in mountainous areas, particularly in rocky areas in the northern part of its range.
Ecology The rust fungus Uromyces danthoniae, a species found that grows parasitically on the leaves of several Rytidosperma species in New Zealand and Australia, infects Rytidosperma setifolium. It forms dense clusters of orange-brown aecidia on both surfaces of the leaf.
Etymology Setifolium means 'bristle-leaved' in Latin.
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