Desmostachya Bipinnata

Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Butt sheaths scarious; pallid, or dark brown; glabrous. Basal innovations intravaginal; flabellate. Culms erect; 50-100 cm long. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths as wide as blade at the collar; smooth; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.5-1 mm long. Leaf-blades convolute; 10-50 cm long; 2-6 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff; glaucous. Leaf-blade surface ribbed. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy; entire; emarginate. Anthers 3; linear. Stigmas 2; laterally exserted.

Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; trigonous; without sulcus. Embryo 0.3-0.4 length of caryopsis. Hilum punctiform. Disseminule comprising a spikelet.