Fragm. 77, t. 121: f. 1 (1809); Gen. Gram.: 214 (1986).- Type-species: Dinebra arabica Jacq.= Dinebra retroflexa (Vahl) Panzer.
Drake-Brockmania Stapf, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1912 : 197 (1912);
Heterocarpha Stapf & CE Hubbard, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1929 : 263 (1929).
Description:
* Annuals, branched from the basis. Leaves linear, flat ; ligule a lacerate or ciliate membrane.
* Inflorescence a racemous panicle with several to many racemes irregularly arranged along a central axis. Racemes varying from short, broad and crowded to linear and distant, deciduous from the axis at maturity or persistent ; lower spikelets of each raceme reduced to short deciduous branchlets.
* Spikelets one-several-flowered, wedge-shaped, laterally compressed, sessile, bi-seriate, disarticulating below each floret. Glumes subequal, much longer than the lemmas, strongly keeled, often coriaceous, acuminate-aristate. Lemmas boat-shaped, 3-nerved, lightly keeled, thinly membranous, acute to bilobed.
Genus with 3 species; savannas of Africa and South Asia.