Festuca benthamiana Vickery. Contr. New South Wales Natl Herb. 1: 13 (1939).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.
Basionym and/or Replacement Name: Festuca duriuscula var. aristata Benth., Fl. Austral. 7:664 (1878).
Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: Australia: Mueller (K holo).
Key references (books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (124), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (283).
Illustrations: [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (125, fig. 81).
Habit. Perennial. Culms erect, 30–90 cm tall, 2 -noded. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple. Leaf-sheaths smooth, glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.2–0.6 mm long, truncate. Leaf-blades filiform, conduplicate or involute or convolute, 8–20 cm long, 0.3–2.5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous, indumented.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle lanceolate or oblong, 11–30 cm long.
Spikelets. Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile florets (4–6), comprising 4–6 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 12.8–22 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes dissimilar. Lower glume lanceolate, chartaceous, without keels, 1–3 -nerved. Upper glume oblong, 4.7–8 mm long, chartaceous, without keels, 3–5 -nerved.
Florets. Fertile lemma 9–12.8 mm long, without keel or keeled, 5–7 -nerved. Lemma apex awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn 5–17 mm long overall. Palea 2 -nerved. Palea apex dentate. Anthers 3.
Continental Distribution: Australasia.
Australian Distribution: South Australia.
South Australia: Flinders Ranges, Northern Lofty, Southern Lofty.
Notes. Endemic. Restricted to the Flinders Ra., S.A. Flowers Oct.-Nov.
