Glumes are sometimes strongly
scabrid or hairy (Haines & Lye, 1983; Goetghebeur, 1998).
Scabrid trichomes are restricted to stem and adaxial leaf surface.
7 mm long; floral scales dorsally with two red transversal stripes (scale neck, callus); leaves abaxially whitish from scabrid trichomes ca 0,5-0,75 mm long.
three times the length of the spikelets, spreading to ascendent, hirtellous-hirsute proximally, smooth to
scabrid distally.
Leaves basal, with blades 20-60 cm long, (2.5-) 3.5-6.5 mm wide, ascending, flat to broadly U-shaped, glabrous proximally, often papillate-scabrescent distally (scattered above and on midrib below), the margins antrorsely scabrous, terminating in a 3-angled,
scabrid attenuated tip; inner band of leaf sheaths hyaline or pale brown, glabrous, the apex slightly concave; ligules 1.5-3.5 mm long, rounded to subacute.
This hypothesis suggests that the ancestor was a woody plant with alternate leaves, large and discoid capitula, actinomorphic deeply five-lobed corollas, caudate and calcarate anthers with sterile apical appendages, shortly bilobed styles glabrous or papillose with continuous stigmatic areas, and a pappus of
scabrid bristles.
For identification and description of the different species we used the morphological characters of growth habit, leaf-size, flower-size, petal-size, nectar scale and staminode size and shape, and also the density of setae and trichomes (
scabrid and glochidiate).
Cypselae densely long-villose; pappus of
scabrid to barbellate bristles, the innermost flat, longer, and wider than the others and barbellate at the apex.
Cypselae rostrate at the apex, pubescent; pappus of
scabrid, capillary bristles.
Cypselae rostrate to slightly constricted at the apex, pubescent; pappus of
scabrid, capillary bristles.
Cypselae villose; pappus usually of
scabrid bristles.
pappus of many fine simple smooth or
scabrid bristles without