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Annual with fibrous roofs. Stems densely lufted, setaceous, angular, smooth or 
hispidulous-scabrid just below the inflorescence, 2.5-16 cm x 0.25-0.4 mm. Leaves basal, c. half 
the length of die stems or shorter, erect, flattened or with margin inrolled, glabrous, abruptly 
terminating in an acute point, 0.4-0.7 mm wide; ligulc absent, sheaths stramineous, glabrous or with 
minute fringe of hairs on the upper margin. Inflorescence simple to decompound, consisting of 
(l-)2-9 spikelets; the rays up to 2 cm long. Involucral bracts 1-4, glume-like, mucronate or filiform, 
to 13 mm long. Spikelets solitary, lanceolate, subterete, acute, 6-20-flowered, 4. 5-8.0 x 1.0-1. 5 mm, 
rachilla broadly winged. Glumes spirally arranged, thinly membranous, erect, ovate-lanceolate, 
acute, glabrous; lower glumes shortly mucronate, the mucro often slightly recurved; upper glumes 
muticous, keeled, with 1 or 2 nerves on either side of central nerve, reddish brown except for the 
broad hyaline margins, 2. 0-3.0 x 1 .0-1.5 mm. Stamens 2-3; anthers linear, 0.5- 1.3 mm long. Style 
slender, glabrous, slightly thickened at base, 1.0-2. 5 mm long; stigmas 3, shorter than style. Nut 
obtusely trigonous, obovoid, obscurely tricostulate, shortly stipitate, umbonulate, tuberculate, 
stramineous, 0.5-0.8 x 0.3-0.4 mm; epidermal cells obscure. 
Other specimens examined. NORTHERN TERRITORY: ESE of Mudginbcrry (12° 36’ S, 132° 58’ 
E), 19 Feb. 1973, C.R. Dunlop 3290 (BRI, CANB n.v., DNA, NT); Magela Creek (12° 40’ S, 133° 
03’ E), 25 Feb. 1973, C.R. Dunlop 3362 (BRI, DNA, NSW n.v., NT); Deaf Adder Gorge (13° 02’ S, 
132° 57’ E), 21 Feb. 1977, C.R. Dunlop 4466 (BRI, DNA, NT); Mt Brockman (12° 45’ S, 132° 53’ 
E), Feb. 1978, C.R. Dunlop 4680 (BRI, DNA, K n.v., NT); Arnhem Land (12° 55’ S, 135° 23’ E), 
17 June 1972, P.K. Latz 3546 (BRI, DNA). 
Distribution. This species appears to be restricted to the sandstone escarpments in western Arnhem 
Land, Northern Territory. 
Habitat. Restricted to well-watered sandy soils on upper areas of sandstone escarpments. 
Affinities. Fimbristylis arnhemensis is closely related to F. subaristata but can be distinguished by 
its smaller, less prominently ribbed, pale nuts, glabrous style lacking a bulbous base, shorter 
involucral bracts and the absence of distichous basal spikelets. 
Conservation status. Although having a restricted distribution, this species does not appear to be 
rare or threatened. 
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the localised distribution of this taxa in the Arnhem Land 
region. 
2. Fimbristylis blakei Latz, sp. nov. (Figure 1) 
Fimbristylis denudatae R. Br. affinis spicul is grandioribus multioribus squarrosis, nuce 
rotundiore, glumis glandibus rubris dispersis differt; a spcciebus affinibus foliis rcductis ct glumis 
valde carinatis rcccdit. 
Typus: Davenport Ranges, Northern Territory, 23 Sept. 1983, P.K. Latz 9767 (holo: DNA; iso: BRI, 
NSW, PERTH). Spreading perennial. Restricted to area of springs at base of quartzite cliff. 
Precise locality withheld. 
Glabrous perennial with short rhizome. Stems erect or spreading, densely tufted, somewhat 
flattened above, striate, 8-50 cm x 0.6-1.2 mm. Cauline leaves reduced to 1-2(3) bladclcss, tubular, 
obliquely truncate, cinnamomcous-margined sheaths, the uppermost up to 10 cm long; juvenile 
plants with several subterete (up to 2.5 cm long) leaves which are soon lost; ligule absent. 
Inflorescence simple, rarely subcompound, with (1) 3-4 (9) spikelets, up to 3 cm long. Involucral 
bracts 1-2, glume-like, c. 3 mm long. Primary rays 0-6, generally erect, compressed, striate, up to 
3 cm long; secondary rays when present 1-2, up to 1 cm long, rachilla broadly winged. Spikelets 
solitary, narrowly ovoid, angular, acute, many-flowered, pale reddish-brown, 8-18 x 2-3 mm. 
