Distichlis Raf.

Perennials, with thick conspicuously distichous leaves, dioecious or rarely monoecious (not in Australia). Leaves: ligule a ciliate membrane to a fringe of hairs; blade sometimes disarticulating from the sheath when very mature, rolled in bud. Inflorescence of both sexes a single spicate raceme, or paniculate with branches of short racemes or branches further divided, non-digitate, persistent, with spikelets arranged all around the axis. Male spikelets similar to the females. Spikelets pedicellate, laterally compressed, with 3–20 florets, tardily disarticulating above the glumes and between the florets (at least in the female plants); rachilla prolonged. Glumes 2, very unequal, shorter than the spikelet, awnless; lower glume 1–5-nerved; upper glume 4–9-nerved. Lemmas awnless, carinate to rounded, (3–) 7–9 (–11)-nerved, glabrous. Palea keels ±winged. Caryopsis ellipsoid; hilum short.