Imperata

Perennial, strongly rhizomatous. Leaf blade narrow, leaves mainly basal; ligule a fringed membrane. Inflorescence a narrow, silky, white or silvery, often spiciform panicle, branches of many very short racemes, rachis tough; spikelets paired, similar, unequally pedicelled, similar, each supported on a slender pedicel. Spikelet lanceolate to oblong, +/- terete, enveloped in long hairs from callus and glumes; glumes equal, similar, as long as spikelet, membranous, long, silky, hairy towards base, awnless. Florets 2; lower floret sterile, rarely male, reduced to a hyaline lemma, shorter than spikelet, awnless; upper floret bisexual; lemma less firm than glumes, hyaline, lanceolate to oblong, shorter than spikelet, glabrous, awnless; callus short, truncate, hairy with long, white or silvery, silky hairs almost concealing spikelet; palea present or reduced. Stamens 1 or 2. Ovary glabrous. Caryopsis ellipsoid. x= 5, 10 (polyploidy).