Urochloa

Tufted, rhizomatous or stoloniferous annuals or perennials. Leaf-blades flat; ligules membranous-ciliate. Inflorescence a panicle, often with one-sided spicate or racemose branches, the axes often flattened or winged. Spikelets oriented with upper glume appressed to axis, shortly pedicellate 2-flowered, the lower barren; glumes 2, falling with the spikelet, the lower shorter than the upper; lower (sterile) floret with lemma and palea developed, not becoming hardened; lemma of upper (hermaphrodite) floret hardened, apiculate to mucronate or shortly awned, transversely rugose, margins recurved with a pair of small protuberances near the apex, glabrous; palea hardened often transversely rugose, hardened, retained by the recurved margins and protuberances of the lemma.