Tufted rhizomatous perennial; culms many-noded, up to 50 cm high. Leaf-blades glaucous, spreading or deflexed, 1.2-3 cm long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide. Panicle loose, up to 7 cm long; branches slender, up to 4.5 cm long bearing 3-4 remote spikelets; pedicles as long as the spikelets. Spikelets up to 13 mm long, 4-5-flowered; rhachilla internodes minutely hairy, a third to half as long as the florets; lower glume lanceolate-acute, (1.7-)34 mm long, upper glume broadly oblong, obtuse, 3.5-5 mm long; lemmas ovate-oblong, 3-nerved, glabrous, minutely 2-toothed, 4.5-5.5 mm long, mucronate or with an awn up to 1 mm long, purple towards the apex.

Type: Pakistan, W. Gatacre 17626 (K).

Distribution: Pakistan (N.W.F.P.); Northwest India.

The generic name Cleistogenes Keng contravenes Article 20.2 of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (1978 edition) and must be rejected. Bullock (Taxon 14:291. 1965 and 16:121. 1967) and Bor (FL Iran. 441. 1970) have objected to this, but as neither argument can be substantiated under the terms of the Code the ruling must be accepted, and the genus is here replaced by Kengia Packer.