Sacciolepis

Annual or perennial, tufted or decumbent, rhizomatous, mostly aquatic. Leaf blade expanded or rolled; ligule a narrow, fringed or unfringed membrane. Inflorescence a panicle, usually spike-like, dense and cylindrical, rarely open; spikelets pedicelled. Spikelet 1.3-4.5 mm long, almost spherical, laterally to dorsiventrally to not noticeably compressed, asymmetrical or gibbous; glumes very unequal, dissimilar, awnless, distinctly ribbed; lower glume shorter than spikelet, sometimes reduced to a small scale; upper glume as long as spikelet, usually gibbous or saccate at base, glabrous. Florets 2; lower floret male or sterile; lemma similar to upper glume but less gibbous, distinctly ribbed, glabrous, awnless, with or without a palea; upper floret bisexual; lemma firmer than glumes, entire, indurated, brittle, smooth, glossy, obscurely 3-5-nerved, margins inrolled and clasping edges of palea, awnless; palea similar to lemma. Lodicules 2, broadly cuneate. Stamens 3. Ovary ellipsoid, glabrous; styles distinct, plumose near ends. Caryopsis obliquely ellipsoid. x= 9 (polyploidy).