Description:

• Perennial, tufted, often rhizomatous
• Leaf blade linear, basal sheaths strongly compressed; ligule a fringed membrane or fringe of hairs
• Inflorescence a terminal panicle consisting of many whorled branches on central axis, internodes filiform; spikelets dissimilar, in groups of 3, in long-short combinations: central spikelet sessile, two laterals pedicelled (rarely spikelets paired, one sessile, the other pedicelled), pedicels free from rachis, tops of pedicels long-hairy
• Sessile spikelet ± laterally compressed, falling with glumes, joint and pedicel, awned or awnless; glumes ± equal; lower glume laterally compressed, indurated, rounded on back, often with spines on margins; upper glume thinner, keeled, shortly 2-lobed, sometimes awned from between lobes
• Florets 2; lower floret sterile, reduced to a hyaline lemma, awnless; upper floret bisexual, lemma less firm than glumes, hyaline, glabrous, not keeled, 1-3-nerved, entire or minutely 2-lobed, awned from between lobes, awn geniculate; callus pungent, hairy, hairs long, commonly pallid or deep fulvous; palea small, hyaline or 0
• Lodicules 2, glabrous
• Stamens 3
• Ovary ellipsoid; styles plumose above
• Caryopsis narrowly ellipsoid

• Pedicelled spikelet well developed to rudimentary, dorsally compressed, usually purple, sometimes pallid, male or sterile, awned or awnless
• x = 10 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Chrysopogon Trin.
  • Trinius: 187 (1820) name conserved
  • Stapf: 349 (1898) under Andropogon L.
  • Stapf: 159 (1917)
  • Chippindall: 468 (1955)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 736 (1982)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 342 (1986)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 85 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 240 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species ± 26, mostly warm regions of both hemispheres
• Southern Africa: Species 1: Chrysopogon serrulatus Trin., N Botswana, Northern Province and mainly North-West