Description:

• Annual or perennial, stoloniferous or rhizomatous, tufted to decumbent, sometimes aromatic
• Leaf blade linear, expanded; ligule an unfringed membrane
• Inflorescence a narrow, spike-like panicle; spikelets solitary, sessile or pedicelled
• Spikelet moderately laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes; glumes unequal, similar, membranous with hyaline margins, glabrous to hairy, awnless; lower glume 1-5-nerved; upper glume 3-nerved
• Florets 3, lower 2 florets male or sterile with lower lemma(s) longer than uppermost lemma, membranous, hairy, 5-7-nerved, apex 2-lobed, lowest lemma with a short straight awn from above middle of back, second lemma awned from near base, awn geniculate; uppermost floret bisexual, lemma glabrous, awnless; palea without keels, usually 1-nerved
• Lodicules 0
• Stamens 2 or 3(rarely)
• Ovary glabrous; styles long, plumose
• x = 5 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Anthoxanthum L.
  • Linnaeus: 28 (1753)
  • Stapf: 465 (1899)
  • Chippindall: 90 (1955)
  • Launert: 72 (1971)
  • Tutin: 229 (1980)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 133 (1986)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 43 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 121 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species ± 20, north temperate and mountains of tropical Africa and Asia
• Southern Africa: Species ± 4 (1 naturalised), Mpumalanga, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho, Eastern and Western Cape