Description: Decumbent, spreading perennial aquatics.
Ligule an unfringed membrane; base of leaf blade cordate or not cordate.
Inflorescence a spike-like panicle. Spikelets subterete to dorsally compressed 2-flowered, lower floret sterile, upper fertile, solitary. Glumes unequal; lower 1–3-nerved, c. 50% spikelet length; upper glume shorter than to subeaqual to spikelet, 3–7-nerved, usually acuminate. Sterile lemma acute, acuminate or awnlike, more or less awned or awnless, 3–5-nerved, more or less equalling fertile lemmas, less firm than to similar to fertile lemmas. Fertile lemma similar to decidedly firmer than glumes, smooth, not becomeing indurated, white in fruit, entire at apex, pointed, muticous, 2–3-nerved, glabrous; palea relatively long, gaping, entire, similar to lemma.
Distribution and occurrence: A genus of 6 species, from tropical regions. Aust.: 2 sp., 1 native, 1 naturalised.
Text by (2008) Jacobs, S.W.L., Whalley, R.D.B. and Wheeler, D.J.B. Taxon concept: Grasses of New South Wales. 4th ed.
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