Orthoclada P. Beauv.

A perennial grass with erect or ascending culms. Inflorescences loose open panicles. Spikelets pedicelled, laterally compressed, imbricate, awnless, 1-5-flowered; rhachilla glabrous or somewhat pubescent, not disarticulating between the florets. Glumes equal in size or the inferior one slightly shorter; the inferior narrowly to broadly lanceolate; the superior broadly lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong. Lemmas somewhat keeled or dorsally rounded, membranous to cartilaginous. Paleas slightly shorter than the corresponding lemmas. Caryopsis free, laterally compressed, obliquely elliptic-oblong in outline.

Worldwide: Two species, one in tropical Africa and one in tropical America.

Zambia: 1 taxon.