Description:

• Plants caespitose
• Rhizomes short to well developed, occasionally long-spreading
• Culms simple, smooth or striate
• Leaf sheaths closely convolute
• Male inflorescence of few to many erect to suberect spikelets, each subtended by a ± conspicuous caducous spathe
• Male spikelets with all bracts fertile; with many florets; perianth usually much compressed; perianth segments 6, or inner whorl 0; outer lateral ones mostly boat-shaped and conduplicate; anthers oblong, apiculate, exserted at anthesis; ovary rudimentary
• Female inflorescence of 1-several spicate, compact, spindle-shaped spikelets similar to male but generally larger; spathes relatively small
• Female spikelets with bracts cartilaginous to osseous, often acuminate, many sterile, only 1 fertile per spikelet; perianth sessile or stipitate, segments membranous, small, equal, 6 (rarely 0); staminodes minute; ovary 1-locular, apex often ornamented or with a cap; styles 2, fused basally
• Fruit a nutlet, variously ornamented on cap

Nomenclature:

• Hypodiscus Nees
  • Nees ab Esenbeck: 450 (1836)
  • Masters: 135 (1897)
  • Pillans: 399 (1928)
  • Linder: 488 (1985)
  • Linder: 256 (1991)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa: Species ± 15, mainly Western Cape, also Northern and Eastern Cape (Namaqualand to Uitenhage)