Description:

• Annual or (rarely) perennial, tufted, sometimes decumbent
• Leaf blade expanded; ligule a hyaline, unfringed membrane
• Inflorescence a bristly panicle, somewhat ovoid, spike-like or capitate, ± 1-sided on central axis; spikelets paired, dissimilar, bisexual spikelets mixed and ± concealed by sterile ones, fertile spikelets subsessile or shortly pedicelled
• Fertile spikelet laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes; glumes ± equal, similar, narrow, lanceolate, long-acuminate to acute, 1-nerved, scabrid on keel, awnless
• Florets 2-5; lemma similar to firmer in texture than glumes, rounded on back, 5-nerved, entire or 2-lobed, awned from close below apex; awn straight, ± twice length of lemma body; callus short, glabrous; palea ± equal to lemma and similar in texture, acuminate, bidentate, 2-keeled
• Lodicules 2
• Stamens 3
• Ovary glabrous; styles plumose above
• Caryopsis oblong

• Sterile spikelet consisting of rigid, lanceolate, awned glumes and lemma which are persistent on panicle
• x = 7

Nomenclature:

• *Cynosurus L.
  • Linnaeus: 72 (1753)
  • Stapf: 689 (1900)
  • Chippindall: 61 (1955)
  • Tutin: 171 (1980)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 98 (1986)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 98 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 282 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species 8, Europe, Middle East and North and southern Africa
• Southern Africa: Species ± 2: *Cynosurus echinatus L. naturalised and Cynosurus coloratus Lehm. ex Nees, possibly indigenous, Free State and Western Cape