Poaceae Tribe Hainardeae
Annual herbs. Leaf-blades narrow; ligule membranous. Inflorescence a spike, the spikelets sessile, solitary, alternate, sunk in cavities in the fragile rhachis, falling entire with the adjacent joint of the rhachis, 1-2-flowered; glumes 2, ± equal, inserted laterally, or solitary (Hainardia), longer than the lemma, coriaceous, completely covering the cavity except at anthesis; lemma awnless, hyaline, 1-3-nerved; palea hyaline; lodicules 2, lanceolate, entire; stamens 3; stigmas 2. Grain with small embryo and elliptic or narrowly oblong hilum, starch grains compound. Chromosomes large, basic number 7, 13, or 19.
Genera 3 in Europe and the Mediterranean region, 1 species extending east-wards to Northwest India; introduced in the Americas, South Africa and Australia.
The tribe is closely allied to Poeae, being distinguished by its cylindrical, fragile spike with the spikelets sunk in cavities. The genera resemble Lepturus R. Br. (Leptureae — Chloridoideae), which has different anatomy, and Henrardia (Triticeae) which has auriculate mouths to the leaf-sheaths and a hairy appendage on the ovary.
