Oreobolus R.Br.

Dwarf glabrous perennials, forming very dense cushion-like tufts. Rhizome woody, much branched, the base of the branches clothed with the sheaths of decayed leaves. Stems short, rigid, obtusangular, leafy, at first hidden by the leaves, finally more or less exserted. Leaves equitant, usually exactly distichous, sometimes less regularly imbricate, rigid, narrow, canaliculate, obtusish, dark-coloured at the top; ligule absent; sheaths strongly dilated, open, light brown to purplish. Inflorescence racemose (consisting of a few axillary, solitary or binate peduncles each bearing a single spikelet), almost capitate, or reduced to a single terminal spikelet. Spikelets compressed, 1-flowered. Rachilla persistent, with very short internodes. Glumes 3-5, erect, distichous, caducous, keeled. Flower pseudoterminal (see notes). Hypogynous scales 6 (rarely 5), perianth-like, biseriate, equal, or the outer ones slightly shorter, rigid, persistent on the rachilla when the fruit has fallen off. Stamens 3; anthers linear, yellow, with shortly produced connective. Style slender, continuous with the ovary, caducous, dark brown, the base usually hardly incrassate, rarely conical and persistent on the nut; stigmas 3. Nut obovoid, ellipsoid, or pyriform, very obtusely trigonous, smooth, shining; pericarp rather thick.