Description :

• Perennial or rarely annual, tufted; culm usually branched from lower nodes, often geniculate
• Leaf blade expanded or frequently involute; ligule a narrow, fringed membrane or a fringe of hairs
• Inflorescence a panicle, open, diffuse, usually much divided; spikelets pedicelled
• Spikelet symmetrically oblong in profile, laterally compressed; glumes unequal, very dissimilar, with distinct, elongated internode between glumes, awnless, rarely minutely mucronate; lower glume usually a minute, ovate scale, rarely well developed, 0-1-nerved; upper glume as long as spikelet, narrower than lower lemma, usually slightly notched at apex, 3-5-nerved
• Florets 2; lower floret male; lemma similar to upper glume but wider and slightly longer, finely 3-7-nerved; upper floret bisexual; lemma firmer than glumes, smaller than lower lemma, dorsally compressed, glabrous, smooth, glossy, brittle, white, readily deciduous, margins flat and partly clasping palea, awnless; palea subequalling lemma, hyaline, 2-nerved
• Lodicules 2
• Stamens 3
• Ovary ellipsoid; styles free or connate at base, plumose above
• Caryopsis ovoid to elliptic-oblong
• x = 9 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Tricholaena Schrad. in Schult.
  • Schultes: 8, 163 (1824)
  • Stapf: 441 (1899)
  • Chippindall: 434 (1955)
  • Launert: 206 (1970)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 502 (1982)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 295 (1986)
  • Zizka: 36 (1988)
  • Zizka: 113 (1989)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 341 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 960 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global : Species 4, mainly Africa, also from the Canaries, Mediterranean and Madagascar
• Southern Africa : Species 2, widespread, not recorded from Lesotho, Western and Eastern Cape