Description:

• Annual, tufted, sometimes geniculate
• Leaf blade expanded; ligule a hyaline, unfringed membrane
• Inflorescence a usually 1-sided panicle, contracted, spike-like, soft and silky; spikelets in clusters of 4 or 5; terminal spikelet bisexual; other spikelets sterile, either male or empty lemmas; smaller fertile spikelet ± covered by others; spikelets pedicelled, pedicels hairy, deciduous in clusters
• Bisexual spikelet laterally compressed, cuneate; glumes ± equal, as long as to longer than spikelet, membranous, keeled, 1-nerved, acuminate or shortly awned
• Florets 1 or 2; lowest floret bisexual; upper floret reduced; lemma lanceolate, or ovate-oblong, membranous, 4- to 5-nerved, 2-lobed, awned from sinus; awn delicate, more than twice as long as lemma, straight; palea same texture as lemma, lanceolate, subacuminate, 2-lobed, 2-keeled
• Lodicules 2, minute, glabrous
• Stamens 3; styles distinct, barbellate
• Caryopsis ellipsoid

• Sterile spikelet linear; florets up to 15, sterile; glumes lanceolate, acute; lemma obovate, membranous, keeled, obtuse, awnless
• x = 7

Nomenclature:

• *Lamarckia Moench
  • Moench: 201 (1794)
  • Stapf: 688 (1900)
  • Chippindall: 61 (1955)
  • Tutin: 172 (1980)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 99 (1986)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 195 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 517 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species 1: *Lamarckia aurea (L.) Moench, Mediterranean to Pakistan
• Southern Africa: Introduced, recorded from Western Cape