Olyka, Linii. 
SriKKLETs uiiise;|ual, lieteroniorphous, both sexes in the same panicle or some- 
times in different ])anieleso£ the same or very rarely of different individnals ; rhiicliilla 
disartienlatin^' l)elo\v the valve. Male spikelets smaller than the female, in mixed 
panicles below them and nnich more nnmerous, l-tlowered. 
(iiA'MKS su])])ressed, indicated by a minute, sometimes obscurely !2d()bed, rim ju^t 
below the articulation of the rhachilla. \'alve lanceolate to almost sul)ulate in prt)tile, 
acuminate or caudate-awned, membranous, 3-nerved. Pale shorter than the valve, 
2-nerved. Lodicules 3 or 0 (?) Stamens 3. Ovary 0. Female spikelets terminal, 
or terminal and lateral on the branches or branchlets of the panicle, abo\ e the male, 
1-iiowered. Glumes subecjual and similar, o^'ate to lanceolate, acuminate or caudate- 
awned (particularly the lower), ])a])ery or membranous, 3 to 9-nerved, transversely 
veined, persistent. A'alve elli]>tic to lanceolate, awnless, sul)coriaceous to hard, 
eartila<>inous, o-nerved (or a])])arently nerwless). Pale similar to the \i\\\ v in sha])e 
and substance, :2-nerved. Lodicules 3, truncate-cuneate. Stamens 0. ()^•arv 
,i;lal)rous, acuminate : ^tyU' sim])le below or beyond the middle ; stiii'mas ])lumose, 
terminally exserted. (irain tightly enclosed by the hardened valve and ]»ale, biconvex ; 
embryo short ; hilum lineiu-, almost as long as the grain. 
Pranched, tall or dwarf ])erennials ; blades coii\()lute in bud, tluMi Hat, often 
broad and asymmetric, shortly ]»etioled, transversely veint'd ; ligules ]>apei'\', \erv 
short ; ])anicles terminal, sometimes with 1 oi' few axillai'\' additional ones, rai'ch- all 
axillary, often decom])ound. 
Species about 20, in tropical America, one of them extending to tropical Africa, 
the Mascarene Lslands and Zululand. 
