Fund. Agrost. 187 (1822) nom conserv.; Gen. Gram.: 342 (1986); Veldkamp. Austrobailey: 5: 503-533 (1999).- Type-species: Chrysopogon gryllus (Linné) Trin.
Vetiveria Bory, in Lem.-Lisanc., Bull. Soc. Philom. 1822: 43 (1822); Gen. Gram.: 342 (1986).
Description:
* Mostly tufted perennials. Leaves linear; ligule a short membrane or a fringe of hairs.
* Inflorescence a terminal panicle, its primary branches whorled, simple, each bearing a raceme. Racemes long and slender, with 2-10 pairs of spikelets, sometimes reduced to a triad of spikelets.
* Sessile spikelet laterally compressed; callus obtuse to pungent, often large and conical. Lower glume chartaceous, cartilaginous to coriaceous, often spinulose; upper glume usually awned. Lower floret reduced to a hyaline lemma; upper lemma bi-dentate usually with a prominent geniculate awn. Pedicelled spikelet well developed, dorsally compressed.
Genus of the Old World with about 35 species with 5 species in WNT Africa, two introduced, one of them is very common (C. aciculatus) in swards.