Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Tufted or tussock-forming perennials.

Stems: Culms erect.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate, closely imbricate. Blades usually short, flat near base and involute toward apex. Veins parallel, usually with 3-9 conspicuous nerves separated by 3-5 less conspicuous nerves visible on lower surface. Sheaths rounded, strongly nerved, fibrous, pilose or hispid at base and often on back; ligule a ring of hairs 0.2-2 mm long.

Flowers: Inflorescences composed of small, contracted panicles or racemes, sometimes with as few as 3-4 spikelets, pedicels of lateral spikelets appressed; spikelets 2-flowered, often purple-tinged, narrowly oblong, awnless, glabrous; glumes unequal, first glume 1-3-nerved, ca. 1/4-2/3 as long as spikelet, second glume slightly shorter than lemma of first floret, 7-nerved or 9-nerved. First lemma 7-nerved or 9-nerved, second lemma smooth, glossy, narrowly ovate, infolded over a palea of similar texture

Fruit:

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