Description: Low perennials with creeping rhizomes or stolons.
Ligule a membranous rim, hairy or glabrous; blade short, narrow.
Inflorescence a narrow spike-like raceme with spikelets appressed to the flattened zig-zag axis. Spikelets with 1 bisexual floret, rather small, laterally compressed, falling entire at maturity. Glume 1; lower absent; upper completely enclosing the floret, ± mucronate. Lemma more delicate than the glume, 1-nerved, usually with a short mucro; palea nerveless.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 10 species, mainly along coastlines of Indian and Pacific Oceans. Australia: 2 species (1 species native, 1 introduced), N.S.W., Qld, Vic., Tas., S.A. Some species are cultivated as lawn grasses, though not commonly in Australia.
Named after a German plant collector.
Text by Jacobs, S.W.L., Whalley, R.D.B. & Wheeler, D.J.B.
Taxon concept: Grasses of New South Wales, Fourth Edition (2008).
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Leaf blade 0.7–2.6 mm wide when expanded; upper glume margins more or less equal, the outer not enveloping the inner; base of caryopsis truncate; styles apical; pronounced oblique attachment of spikelet to pedicel | Zoysia matrella |
| Leaf blade 2.7–4 mm wide when expanded; outer upper glume margin longer than inner margin and curling over it; base of caryopsis oblique; styles subterminal; truncate attachment of spikelet to pedicel | Zoysia macrantha |
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