Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Annuals or perennials, sometimes with creeping rhizomes.

Stems: Culms naked, not nodose above base.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple (reduced). Alternate. Leaves reduced to bladeless sheaths. Margins entire. Veins parallel. Sheathing. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences anthelate with elongate rays, or congested into a head, the lowest bract erect, culm-like; spikelets ovoid, ellipsoid, or cylindrical, terete (cylindrical); glumes numerous, imbricate or 2-ranked, all similar and bearing an axillary perfect flower. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Perianth of 0–6 bristles, these, when present, needle-like with fimbriate margins. Corolla (petals) absent. Stamens 1–3. Ovary superior; styles continuous with ovary; stigmas 2–3.

Fruit: Achenes brown or black at maturity; lenticular or trigonous; often transversely wrinkled. Seeds 1; seed coat thin; free from pericarp; embryo basal; endosperm abundant.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range: