Fl. Cap. 7: 316 (1898); Gen. Gram.: 223 (1986).- Type-species: Eragrostis cynosuroides (Retz.) P. Beauv.= Desmostachya bipinnata (Linn.) Stapf.
Eragrostis sect. Desmostachya Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 324 (1897).
Description:
* Rhizomatous perennial. Leaves linear; ligule a short ciliate membrane.
* Inflorescence long and narrow, composed of numerous racemes along a long central axis. Spikelets biseriate, densely imbricate.
* Spikelets several to many-flowered, strongly laterally compressed, sessile, falling entire, apart. Glumes acute, unequal, lanceolate, membranous. Lemmas chartaceous to coriace, keeled, glabrous, acute. Caryopsis ovoid, trigonous.
Genus with one species, arid regions from northern Africa to Indo-China.