Description :

• Perennial, tufted; culm erect, branched or simple
• Leaf blade linear, rigid or soft, open and flat to rolled; sheaths appressed to culms; ligule a fringe of hairs
• Inflorescence a panicle, somewhat contracted; spikelets pedicelled
• Spikelet conspicuous, large, lanceolate, laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes; glumes 15-60 mm long, ± equal, as long as to longer than spikelet, membranous, lanceolate, 3-5(7)-nerved, minutely scabrid, acuminate, awnless
• Florets 2, bisexual; highly reduced third floret rarely present; lemma firmer in texture than glumes, chartaceous to cartilaginous, oblong, dorsally convex, variously hairy, 7-9-nerved, incised, 2-lobed, lobes with bristles or awns; awns not geniculate, central awn from between lobes very long, glabrous, scabrid, geniculate, twisted in lower part; callus elongated, slender, longer than lemma body, hairy; palea glabrous, narrowly lanceolate, apex bifid, 2-keeled, nerves prominent
• Lodicules 2, glabrous or sparsely to densely ciliolate
• Stamens 3
• Ovary glabrous, with apical pseudostigmata; styles short or 0, plumose
• Caryopsis surface reticulately sculptured
• x = 6

Nomenclature:

• Pseudopentameris Conert
  • Conert: 303 (1971)
  • Stapf: 516 (1899) under Danthonia DC.
  • Chippindall: 241 (1955) under Danthonia DC.
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 174 (1986)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 278 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 787 (1994)
  • Barker: 141 (1995)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species 4, mountainous areas of Western Cape