Ess. Agrost. 74 (1812); FTEA: 161 (1970); Gen. Gram.:160 (1986).
Description:
* Annuals. Leaves flat, narrowly lanceolate, amplexicaul, cross-nerved.
* Inflorescence a panicle, sometimes the primary branches reduced to racemes. Spikelets pedicelled, solitary.
* Spikelets several-flowered, laterally compressed, breaking up below each floret at maturity. Florets glabrous, all alike, the 2-3 at the tip of the spikelet smaller. Lemmas 5 (- 7) nerved, glabrous, awnless.
Genus with one species; tropical Africa, forests.