Glaucous perennials with rigid solid culms. Leaf-blades short, linear to narrowly ovate, often rolled; chlorenchyma radiate. Inflorescence a contracted panicle. Spikelets 2-6-flowered (the uppermost floret usually reduced to a small scale), lanceolate, enclosed by the glumes; glumes chartaceous, acute, separated by an internode 0.5-1 mm long, the lower 7-11-nerved, the upper 5-9-nerved; lemma rounded on the back, membranous becoming coriaceous, 7-11-nerved, densely pubescent between the nerves and with a transverse row of 6-8 tufts of hairs on a level with the base of the awn, deeply divided into 2 lanceolate, hyaline, glabrous lobes, awned from between the lobes; awn straight or geniculate (and then with a loosely twisted column); palea shorter than the lemma; callus 1-1.8 mm long, obliquely pungent.

A genus of 4 species in northern Africa and the Middle East from Mali to Pakistan; also in South and South West Africa; 1 species occurs in Pakistan.

The most important justification for separating Asthenatherum from Danthonia lies in its radiate chlorenchyma, for that of Danthonia is diffuse. It may also be recognised by the following combination of characters: many-nerved glumes separated by a distinct internode, a tranverse line of hairs on the lemma and a long pungent callus.

Lower Taxon

• Asthenatherum forskalii (Vahl) Nevski

Related Synonym(s):

• Avena forskalii Vahl = Asthenatherum forskalii (Vahl) Nevski
• Danthonia forskalii (Vahl) Trin. = Asthenatherum forskalii (Vahl) Nevski