Description :

• Annual or perennial
• Leaf blade linear to linear-lanceolate, usually expanded; ligule an unfringed membrane
• Inflorescence a densely contracted or spike-like, rarely open panicle; spikelets solitary, shortly pedicelled
• Spikelet small, 1-4 mm long, ± laterally compressed, narrowly oblong to oblong, falling with glumes, and with pedicel or part of it; glumes ± equal, longer than spikelet, lanceolate, similar, membranous, 1-nerved, lightly keeled, hairy on keel, entire or shortly 2-lobed, awnless to awned; awn sometimes short and inconspicuous
• Floret 1, bisexual; lemma less firm than glumes, hyaline, lanceolate or broadly oblong, rounded, glabrous, 5-nerved, truncate or 2-lobed, mucronate, awnless or awned, awned usually from near apex; awn very fine, shorter than to as long as lemma, sometimes inconspicuous, often deciduous; palea delicate, slightly to much shorter than lemma, acute, 2-keeled
• Lodicules 2, delicate, membranous, glabrous
• Stamens 3
• Ovary glabrous; styles distinct, short, plumose
• Caryopsis ellipsoid
• x = 7 (10) (high polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Polypogon Desf.
  • Desfontaines: 66 (1798)
  • Chippindall: 96 (1955) under Agrostis L.
  • Hubbard: 98 (1970)
  • Launert: 83 (1971)
  • Tutin: 235 (1980)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 139 (1986)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 274 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 765 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global : Species ± 18, tropics and warm temperate regions
• Southern Africa : Species ± 3, 1 endemic in Western and Eastern Cape, the rest widespread