Agrostis thompsoniae

Although in the original description of A. thompsoniae (Telopea 9:682, 2001), Jacobs cited a specimen from Nunniong Plain as belonging to this species (A.C.Beauglehole 36318), the immature anthers on this are >0.6 mm long and the general appearance is of a young plant of A. bettyae, a common species of this area. Accordingly, the specimen at Melbourne Herbarium has been reassigned to A. bettyae.

The distinction between A. thompsoniae and the apparently similarly rare A. joyceae, based principally on panicle shape and pedicel length appear to be slight. Further Victorian collections of these species are required to assess the reliability of these characters and to appreciate different ecological niches, if any. It is possible that both species are merely dwarfed, high-altitude forms of the widespread A. propinqua. Further research on this group is warranted.