Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves crowded at culm base, lamina often inrolled. Inflorescence a compact head of 1-flowered spikelets surrounded by an involucre of leaves. Each spikelet consists of a spikelet bract, a perianth scale (squamella), a rhachilla (in a few species) and a flower. The squamella is often conspicuous and petal-like and sometimes encloses the flower, the nutlet and squamella falling together. Stamens 1-3(-5). Ovary with 2-3 stigmas. Nutlet minutely papillose. Worldwide: c. 20 species, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa; 1 in Madagascar and S America and 2 extending to Indo-China Zambia: 12 taxa. |
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| Species | FZ divisions | Content |
| ampullacea J. Raynal [DD] | ||
| capensis (Kunth) Ridl. | Description, Image | |
| densa Goetgh. | N,S | Description, Image |
| fibrillosa Goetgh. | ||
| lineariglumis Lye var. lineariglumis [LR-lc] | S | Description, Image |
| lineariglumis Lye var. pulcherrima Lye [End] [DD] | N,S | Description, Image |
| majestuosa P.A.Duvign. & G.Léonard [DD] | ||
| pinguis C.B. Clarke | ||
| protea Welw. var. bellidiflora (Welw.) Lye | Description, Image | |
| pseudopeteri Goetgh. [End] [DD] | W | Image |
| pusilla Ridl. [DD] | B,N,W,C,S | Description, Image |
| trigona Goetgh. [End] [DD] | N,W | Image |