Herbs, dioecious, perennial, caespitose or rhizomatous, the base pubescent. Culms erect to sinuose, branching, terete to compressed, with appressed or spreading multi-cellular ‘fan-hairs’, sometimes appearing glabrous, mostly striate (especially when dry). Sheaths closely appressed, erect, glabrous or pubescent, striate; lamina linear, terete, erect, usually with a membranous, hyaline distal margin. Inflorescences dissimilar in males and females. Male spikelets numerous, pedicellate or sessile, erect or pendulous, 1–many-flowered. Female spikelets 1-flowered, with 1 or 2 small bracts on the flower stalk, terminal or axillary, sessile or pedicellate, solitary or 2–5 together; glumes fewer, longer and more rigid than males, scarious, glabrous or abaxial surface pubescent; uppermost glume fertile. Male flowers: tepals (5 or) 6, brown to hyaline, outer 2 or 3 tepals keeled; inner tepals flat or concave; stamens 3; anthers mostly not exserted. Female flowers: tepals 6; ovary 1-locular; style (2 or) 3-branched. Fruit a nut with woody pericarp, smooth or pitted, shed with a thickened fleshy stalk and perianth or in H. humilis the complete spikelet is dispersed. Seeds smooth, with a pattern of subangular cells. Culm anatomy: chlorenchyma of 2–4 layers of short cells, interrupted by pillar cells and partial sclerenchyma ridges opposite the outer vascular bundles, central cavity present or absent.
Home