Braohypodium, Beaiiv. (in part 
Spikelets at first cylindric, then laterally compressed, in a simple raceme or 
false spike with very short pedicels, with the flattened side to the axis ; rhachilla 
glabrous, disarticulating above the glumes and between the valves. Florets 5 to 
many, perfect, the up|)ermost more or less reduced. 
Glumes more or less unequal, firm, strongly 3 to 7-nerved, lower often 
slightly asymmetric. Valves oblong to oljlong-lanceolate, usually narrowed into 
a straight awn, or mucronate, rounded on the back, closely imbricate at first, then 
moi'e or less "diverging and rolling inwards, 7-nerved, nerves prominent in the 
upper part, faint below ; callus very short, obtuse. Pales oblong, rather broad, 
very obtuse or truncate, slightly shorter than the valve, 2-keeled, keels rigidly 
ciliate. Lodicules 2, lanceolate, usually ciliolate. Stamens 3, rarely 2. Ovary 
with a villous appendage at the top ; styles laterally inserted on the appendage, 
very short ; stigmas plumose, laterally exserted. Grain linear or linear-oblong, 
convexo-concave, adhering more or less to the pale ; embryo small ; liilum filiform, 
lono'. 
Perennial ()R Annual ; blades flat or setaceously involute ; racemes ter- 
minal ; joints of axis more or less hollowed out (at least the lower) on the side 
facing the spikelets ; spikelets usually few (sometimes I), erect or spreading, rather 
large. 
Species about 15, often very difficult to discrinnnate, maiidy in the temperate 
regions of the northern hemisphere. 
