Ess. Agrost. 54 (1812); Gram. Afr. Trop. 1: 250 (1962); Gen. Gram.: 295 (1986); Zizka, Bibl. Bot. 138: 50 (1988).- Type-species: Melinis minutiflora P. Beauv.
Description:
* Tufted or caespitose annuals or perennials; decumbent. Culms with hairy nodes; shoots aromatic. Leaves narrow; ligule a narrow fringed membrane or a fringe of hairs.
* Inflorescence an open panicle with capillary branchlets. Pedicels slender, glabrous or with a few long hairs at the tip.
* Spikelets oblong or elliptic in profile, laterally compressed, hairy or glabrous. Glumes very unequal; lower glume small or suppressed, the upper long relative to the adjacent lemmas, often awned from the sinus, sometimes gibbous. Lower lemma male or sterile, usually awned with a subulate awn from the bifid apex or awnless, similar in texture or firmer than the upper lemmas; upper lemma not becoming indurate but membranous, white in fruit; palea relatively long.
African genus with about 20 species. Several species difficult to separate.