Annuals or slender perennials, tufted. Flowering culms erect, 20–60 cm high. Leaves: ligule a fringe of hairs, 2–3 mm long; blade flat, 5–9 cm long, 2–3 mm wide. Panicles open, 18–25 cm long, 2–4 cm wide, pulvinate (with white hairs to 2 mm long). Spikelets pedicellate, usually oblong, sometimes elliptic or ovate, compressed, 5–17 mm long, 2.5–3 mm wide; rachilla flexuose; florets 7–44, closely overlapping, all fertile; apical florets sometimes immature, but potentially fertile. Glumes deciduous, unequal, ovate, carinate; lower glume 1–1.2 mm long; upper glume 1.5–1.6 mm long. Lemma ovate, 2–2.5 mm long, obtuse, membranous, granular, glabrous, reddish mauve; lateral nerves prominent. Lemma and palea strongly gibbous near base in profile. Palea orbicular or ovate, 2–2.5 mm long; keels not reaching apex of palea, winged, smooth, ciliate; flaps distinctly narrower than body. Stamens 2 or 3; anthers 0.5 mm long. Grain globoid, 0.5 mm long.
Home