Stem usually herbaceous and hollow between the nodes. Leaves alternate, usually linear and furnished at their base with a sheath split open on one side and ending in a ligule. Inflorescence consisting of spikelets, rarely of single flowers, usually enclosed by 2 glumes (outer or empty glumes) and arranged in spikes, racemes, or panicles. Flowers in the axil of the flowering glume (or valve), subtended by the usually 2-keeled palea and sometimes by one or two, rarely more, minute lodicules. Perianth none. Stamens 1-6, usually 3. Anthers opening by 2 slits or pores. Ovary 1-celled. Ovule 1, erect or laterally affixed, slightly curved, with the micropyle turned downwards. Styles 2, rarely 3 or 1. Fruit indehiscent; pericarp usually dry and adnate to the seed. Embryo outside the copious albumen.--Genera 205, species 1600. “Grasses.” (Plate 8.) 1. Spikelets 1-flowered, rarely 2-flowered, the upper flower fertile, the lower male or barren and inserted immediately below the fertile one. Axis of the spikelet not produced beyond the fertile flower, jointed below the outer glumes or not jointed; ripe spikelets falling entire from their stalk or from the rachis of the spike, sometimes together with a part of it. [Subfamily =PANICOIDEAE=.] 2 Spikelets either 1-flowered with the axis produced beyond the flower or jointed above the outer glumes, which therefore persist when the spikelet falls off, or 2-flowered with both flowers fertile or with a distinct interval between the flowers or with a continuation of the axis beyond the flowers, or 3-to many-flowered. 65 2. Spikelets distinctly compressed from the side. Stamens usually 6. Seed with a linear hilum. [Tribe ORYZEAE.] 3 Spikelets compressed from front to back or not distinctly compressed. Stamens usually 1-3. Seed usually with a punctiform hilum. 7 3. Spikelets in terminal clusters of two or three, connate, at length hardened. Stamens 3. Style undivided, papillose.--Species 1. North Africa. One source of the Esparto-grass, which is used for plaiting and paper-making. =Lygeum= L. Spikelets in panicles. Stamens nearly always 6. Style 3-cleft or 3-parted, with feathery stigmas. 4 4. Spikelets unisexual; 1-2 sessile female and a stalked male on each branch of the panicle. Flowering glume globose. Stamens 6. Style 1, long, 3-cleft. Leaves broad-lanceolate, stalked.--Species 1. Equatorial West Africa. =Leptaspis= R. Br. Spikelets bisexual or polygamous. Styles 3, short, free or united at the very base. Leaves linear or narrow lanceolate. 5 5. Outer glumes rudimentary. Flowering glume awnless.--Species 4. (_Homalocenchrus_ Mieg.) =Leersia= Swartz Outer glumes distinctly developed. Stamens 6. 6 6. Flowering glume and palea slightly compressed, awnless. Leaves linear-lanceolate, more or less distinctly stalked.--Species 4. Madagascar and Natal. (Under _Potamophila_ R. Br.) =Maltebrunia= Kunth