in Britton, Man. Fl. North U.S.: 89 (1901); Gram. Afr. trop. 1: 254 (1962; Gen. Gram.: 277 (1986).- Type-species:
Description:
* Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves lanceolate to convolute; ligule membranous, often short.
* Inflorescence a dense spiciform panicle, rarely open.
* Spikelets oblong to lanceolate, asymmetrical. Glumes prominently nerved, the upper gibbous and as long as the spikelet. Lower lemma as upper glumes but less gibbous; upper lemma shorter than spikelet, thinly coriaceous, smooth and gibbous. Caryopsis obliquely ellipsoid.
The genus of the tropics, mainly Africa with about 30 species, of damp places and shallow water.