Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Cespitose annuals 2–30(–46) cm tall.

Stems: Culms usually branched, puberulent, the nodes puberulent or short-pilose.

Roots: Roots fibrous.

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate, cauline. Blades 1.5-12 cm long, 0.1-0.4 cm wide (when unrolled), often loosely involute. Upper surfaces pilose; lower surfaces puberulent. Veins parallel. Sheaths usually puberulent, auricular hairs often prominent, 1-2.5 mm long; ligule a ciliate membrane,0.4-1.6 mm long, the membrane rudimentary or 0.1-0.3 mm long, the cilia 0.3-1.5 mm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Panicles 1-11 cm long, axis puberulent or sparsely pilose, branches usually appressed, puberulent or pilose; spikelets 1.5-2.3 mm long, acute, glabrous; glumes glabrous, short-pubescent; first glume as long as spikelet, acute to acuminate, 3-5-nerved, second glume shorter than or subequal to first glume, acute to acuminate, 5-9-nerved. First floret sterile, first lemma shorter than or equaling second glume, glabrous or short-pubescent at least toward apex, 7-nerved, first palea 1/6-1/5 as long as first lemma; second floret dark brown at maturity, 1.2-1.8 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide, elliptic, smooth, glossy. Anthers 0.8-1.1 mm long.

Fruit: Fruit a caryopsis

Ploidy:

Habitat: Occurring in dry; open; often rocky habitats; including lava flows; rocky shores; raised coralline reefs; and dunes.

Elevation Range: 0–400 m.