Common name
Australian Bent

Derivation
Agrostis L., Sp. Pl. 61 (1753); from the Greek agrostis (a forage plant, a kind of grass), cf. agros (a field).

australiensis- Australia plus the Latin -ensis, denoting origin. From Australia.

Described in
Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 17: 302 (1921).

Habit
Annual, tufted. Culms erect, slender, 8–30 cm tall, 2-noded. Mid-culm internodes glabrous. Leaves basal and cauline or cauline. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode, striately nerved, scaberulous. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 1–2 mm long, erose, truncate or obtuse. Leaf-blades aciculate, conduplicate, 1–5 cm long, 0.4–1.4 mm wide, rigid. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle, exserted or embraced at base by subtending leaf. Panicle open, pyramidal, 80(–150) cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading, 2–3-nate. Panicle branches capillary, scabrous.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Pedicels scabrous. Fertile spikelets 1-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, lanceolate, laterally compressed, 2–3 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus glabrous.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar, firmer than fertile lemma, gaping. Lower glume lanceolate, 2.3–3 mm long, 110% length of upper glume, membranous, purple, 1-keeled, 1-nerved, midnerve scabrous. Lower glume lateral nerves absent. Lower glume margins ciliolate. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, 2–2.7 mm long, 120–130% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, purple, 1-keeled, 1-nerved, midnerve scabrous. Upper glume lateral nerves absent. Upper glume margins ciliolate. Upper glume apex acute.

Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate, 1.7–2 mm long, hyaline, 5-nerved. Lemma lateral nerves extending close to apex. Lemma surface asperulous, glabrous. Lemma apex truncate, muticous or awned. Median (principal) awn dorsal, arising 50–75% way up back of lemma. Palea absent or minute. Lodicules 2, membranous. Anthers 3, 0.2–0.5 mm long. Grain with adherent pericarp. Hilum linear.

Continental Distribution:
Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania.

New South Wales: Southern Tablelands. Victoria: Snowfields. Tasmania: North East.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Pooideae: Aveneae

Notes
Endemic. In damp areas from 60 m to alpine grasslands. Flowers Dec.-Feb.

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