Description :

• Annuals, small, tufted
• Culms setaceous, 0-25 mm tall, with basal nodes
• Leaves basal, eligulate; sheath closed, with adaxial apex truncate; blade without keeled midrib, profile crescentiform
• Inflorescence capitate, of 2-4 spikes; subtending bracts erect, very long
• Spikes 5-6 mm long, 3.5 mm broad, laterally compressed; spikelet bracts 9-11, ± distichous, 2.5-4 mm long, produced into an awn 1-7 mm long
• Spikelets comprising adaxial coriaceous prophyll and abaxial hyaline glume; glume subtending a single usually bisexual floret
• Perianth 0
• Stamens 2
• Style short, branches 3, 2-3 times as long as nutlet
• Nutlet yellow-brown, obovate, trigonous, 1 mm long, papillose

Nomenclature:

• Volkiella Merxm. & Czech
  • Merxmüller & Czech: 318 (1953)
  • Podlech: 52 (1967)
  • Hooper: 945 (1986)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species l: Volkiella disticha Merxm. & Czech, Namibia; also in south tropical Africa