Perennial herbs. Leaf-blades rigid, convolute; ligule membranous. Inflorescence a single terminal spikelet at first enclosed within a spathe-like sheath, at length laterally exserted. Spikelet bisexual, 2-flowered, falling entire; glumes suppressed; lemmas of the 2 florets fused below into a tube; paleas 2-nerved, fused below along the back; lodicules suppressed; stamens 3, with long filaments; stigma 1. Grain with small embryo and linear hilum; starch grains compound. Chromosomes large, basic number 10.

Monotypic in the Mediterranean region.

Lower Taxon

• Lygeum Loefl. ex Linn.