Description :

• Perennial (sometimes short-lived) or annual, densely tufted, sometimes shrubs or dwarf shrubs, erect to geniculate, often with a well developed knotty rhizomatous base
• Leaf blade usually long and narrow; ligule a dense fringe of hairs
• Inflorescence a narrow or open panicle, sometimes spike-like, often interrupted; spikelets solitary or in fascicles, pedicelled
• Spikelet disarticulating above glumes; glumes ± equal or unequal, narrow, as long as to longer than spikelet, 3-11-nerved, glabrous or hairy, obtuse to acuminate, awnless; lower glume usually 3-nerved
• Floret 1, bisexual; lemma narrow, cylindrical, firmer than glumes, ventrally grooved or margins involute, indurated at maturity, 3-awned, appearing as 1 awn with 3 branches due to fusion, rarely solitary as laterals reduced; awns with or without a column, all, or only central awn plumose or with a pencil of hairs at apex of column, articulation present at or above middle of lemma or between base of column and body of lemma, or 0; callus well developed, pungent or minutely bifid, usually oblique, bearded or glabrous; palea usually much less than half as long as lemma, indurated, 2-nerved, glabrous
• Lodicules usually 2, or 0, obtuse
• Stamens 3
• Ovary glabrous; styles free, plumose above
• x = 11 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Stipagrostis Nees
  • Nees ab Esenbeck: 290 (1832)
  • Stapf: 551 (1899)
  • Henrard: 1 (1926-1933) under Aristida L.
  • Henrard: 45 (1929-1933) under Aristida L.
  • Chippindall: 291 (1955) under Aristida L.
  • Pilger: 123 (1956)
  • De Winter: 307 (1965)
  • Clayton: 137 (1970)
  • Launert: 187 (1970)
  • Melderis: 131 (1971)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 185 (1986)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 318 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 910 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global : Species ± 50, Africa, NW India and SW Asia
• Southern Africa : Species 29, widespread