Capillipedium Stapf

Compactly tufted perennials, erect from base, usually aromatic especially when handled. Leaves: ligule a short hair-fringed membrane; blade linear. Inflorescence a terminal, open and compound panicle with capillary branches, often purple-coloured; spikelets in pairs, one sessile, the other pedicellate, terminal spikelets in triplets with 1 sessile spikelet and 2 pedicellate spikelets; spikelet clusters solitary or arranged in a raceme of 1–8 clusters; internodes and pedicels slender with a hyaline median line. Sessile spikelets broadly linear, lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate, oblong or elliptic, dorsally compressed; glumes ±similar in size; lower glume concave on back or with longitudinal groove, membranous, obscurely 2-keeled; upper glume convex on back, obscurely or distinctly ridged along midline with marginal keels; lower floret reduced to a lemma, sterile; upper floret bisexual, with lemma stipitiform, entire, with a geniculate hairy awn; palea absent. Pedicellate spikelets similar in shape to sessile spikelets, although typically smaller and narrower; upper and lower glumes present; lower floret present, male or sterile; upper floret not seen. Caryopsis oblong, dorsally compressed.

Reports of the pasture value of the species in Australia vary, both are considered fairly good fodder by some authors (B.K. Simon, ined.) but others indicate that although eaten by stock they are not considered to have high fodder value (Lazarides 2002, Andersen 2003).