Perennials, tough, stoloniferous or rhizomatous. Leaf blades stiff, rolled, often markedly distichous, pungent; ligule a narrow ciliate membrane. Inflorescence spikelike or capitate, composed of short, erect racemes of subsessile, tightly imbricate spikelets appressed to a central axis. Spikelets ovate-lanceolate, laterally compressed, florets several to many, rachilla disarticulating above glumes and between florets; glumes shorter than lemmas, papery with broad scarious margins, lower glume 1–3-veined, upper glume 5–7-veined; lemmas ovate, resembling glumes in texture, strongly 7–11-veined, glabrous or hairy on margins, rounded on back, acute or mucronate; palea keels ciliate or scabrid, apex truncate.
Home