Festuca muelleri Vickery. Contr. New South Wales Natl Herb. 1: 9–10 (1939).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae. Tribe Poeae.
Type of Basionym or Protologue Information: Australia, Mt. Buller: Mueller (K holo).
Key references (books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of Australia, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (268), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia, Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (279).
Illustrations: [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (268), [2009]. A.Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: Poaceae 2 (280, Fig.37).
Habit. Perennial. Culms erect, 53–169 cm tall, 2–4 -noded. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral branches branched. Leaf-sheaths antrorsely scabrous, glabrous on surface. Leaf-sheath auricles absent, or present. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.9–5.5 mm long, obtuse. Leaf-blades aciculate or linear, flat or conduplicate or involute or convolute, 15–49 cm long, 4.3–8 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.
Inflorescence. Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle ovate, 14.5–29 cm long.
Spikelets. Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile florets (3–6(-7)), comprising 3–6(–7) fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex, oblong, laterally compressed, 10–16.5 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes similar. Lower glume lanceolate, chartaceous, much thinner on margins, without keels, 1–5 -nerved. Upper glume oblong, 4.9–8.7 mm long, chartaceous, without keels, 3–5 -nerved.
Florets. Fertile lemma 8.5–11 mm long, without keel or keeled, 5 -nerved. Lemma apex muticous. Palea 2 -nerved. Palea apex dentate. Anthers 3. Grain 5 mm long.
Continental Distribution: Australasia.
Australian Distribution: New South Wales, Victoria.
New South Wales: Northern Tablelands, Southern Tablelands. Victoria: East Gippsland, Eastern Highlands, Snowfields.
Notes. Endemic. S from Barrington Tops. Occurs in sub-alpine eucalypt woodlands amongst rocks, often in association with Eucalyptus pauciflora. Flowers Dec.-Mar. Fruits Jan.-Apr.
