Tripogon

Perennial, slender, up to 220 mm tall, densely tufted. Leaf blade narrowly linear; leaf sheaths persistent at base, sometimes becoming fibrous; ligule a narrow, fringed membrane or a fringe of hairs. Inflorescence a solitary, terminal, subsecund spike; spikelets usually appressed to rachis, alternating in 2 rows along slender triangular rachis; glumes dorsiventral to rachis. Spikelet linear-elliptic, laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes and between florets; glumes unequal, shorter than spikelet, membranous, keeled, 1-nerved or rarely upper glume 3-nerved; lower glume often asymmetrical. Florets 5-10, all bisexual except terminal floret reduced; lemma membranous, glabrous, dorsally rounded or obtusely keeled, 1-3-nerved, rarely with 1 or 2 additional faint nerves, emarginate to 2-lobed, central nerve terminating in a mucro or slender awn, rarely laterals mucronate; callus short, villous; palea shorter than lemma, 2-keeled, keels usually winged, hyaline. Lodicules 2, truncate. Stamens 2 or 3. Ovary glabrous; styles plumose. Caryopsis narrow, subterete, obtusely trigonous in cross section. x= 10.