Description:

• Perennial, rush- or sedge-like herbs, with a tufted or rhizomatous rootstock densely covered with scaly sheaths, dioecious, rarely monoecious or sometimes florets bisexual
• Culms photosynthetic, erect or rarely reclining, simple or branched, terete, quadrate or compressed, solid or fistular with a leaf sheath at each node
• Leaf sheaths usually convolute, free at margins, rarely produced at apex into a blade-like extension, caducous or persistent; ligule usually 0
• Inflorescence a spike, raceme or panicle, frequently different in the sexes
• Spikelets 1-many, with 1-many florets, subtended by a sheath-like spathe at base
• Florets unisexual, rarely bisexual, mainly hidden within bracts
• Perianth glumaceous, usually of 6 segments in 2 whorls, rarely less or 0; outer lateral segments frequently conduplicate and ± keeled; inner segments usually rounded on outer side
• Male florets: stamens 3, opposite inner perianth segments; filaments very slender; anthers 1(2)-thecous; ovary rudimentary or 0
• Female florets: staminodes 0-3; ovary superior, 1-3-locular, sometimes 1 or 2 by abortion, with a solitary pendulous ovule in each locule; styles 1-3, free or partly united
• Fruit a capsule or nutlet

Nomenclature:

• Restionaceae
  • Masters: 59 (1897)
  • Pillans: 207 (1928)
  • Pillans: 339 (l942)
  • Pillans: 245 (1944)
  • Pillans: 101 (1952)
  • Linder: 11 (1984)
  • Linder: 387 (1985)
  • Linder: 209 (1991)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera ± 28, species ± 400, only southern hemisphere, except for 1 species in Vietnam, mainly southern Africa (Western Cape), several also in Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand, few in tropical Africa, Madagascar, Indochina and Chile
• Southern Africa: Genera 19, species ± 320, almost exclusively in Western Cape

References:

• LINDER, H.P. 1984. A phylogenetic classification of the genera of the African Restionaceae. Bothalia 15
• LINDER, H.P. 1985. Conspectus of the African species of Restionaceae. Bothalia 15
• LINDER, H.P. 1991. A review of the southern African Restionaceae. Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium 13
• MASTERS, M.T. 1897. Restiaceae. Flora capensis 7
• PILLANS, N.S. 1928. The African genera and species of Restionaceae. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 16
• PILLANS, N.S. 1942. New species of South African Restionaceae. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 29
• PILLANS, N.S. 1944. New and hitherto imperfectly known species of African Restionaceae. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa 30
• PILLANS, N.S. 1952. New and hitherto imperfectly known species of South African Restionaceae. Journal of South African Botany 18

Resources:

• Key to Restionaceae genera and some species

• Restionaceae genera: