Description:

• Annual or perennial, (sometimes short-lived), densely tufted or rarely decumbent, sometimes rhizomatous
• Leaf blade expanded or rolled, sometimes setaceous, hairs, when present, usually gland-tipped; sheaths in a few species sometimes enclosing cleistogenes; ligule a fringe of hairs
• Inflorescence a panicle, usually contracted, often dense and spike-like, rarely open, feathery; spikelets subsessile or shortly pedicelled
• Spikelet variably compressed, disarticulating above glumes; glumes unequal or ± equal, usually ± equal to spikelet, lanceolate, similar, membranous, 3-7-nerved, sometimes ciliate on nerves, frequently pilose, awnless
• Florets 3-5; lower florets 1-3, bisexual; upper floret sterile or rudimentary, often reduced to a tuft of minute awns; lemma firmer than glumes, firm or leathery, not keeled, 9-lobed, scabrid or plumose below lobes, prominently 9-nerved, nerves excurrent into awns from tips of lobes; awns straight, glabrous, scabrous or hairy (plumose); callus short; palea linear or lanceolate, longer than lemma, sometimes ciliate on keels, hyaline
• Lodicules 2, minute, fleshy, membranous
• Stamens 3
• Ovary glabrous; styles distinct, plumose
• x = 9, 10 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Enneapogon Desv. ex P.Beauv.
  • Palisot de Beauvois: 81 (1812)
  • Stapf: 654 (1900)
  • Stent: 293 (1924)
  • Chippindall: 234 (1955)
  • Renvoize: 393 (1968)
  • Launert: 77 (1970)
  • Renvoize: 167 (1970)
  • Launert: 145 (1971)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 189 (1986)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 134 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 375 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species ± 30, warm, dry regions of the world, especially Australia and Africa
• Southern Africa: Species ± 7, widespread