118. Elytrophorus P. Beauvois, Ess. Agrostogr. 67. 1812.
总苞草属 zong bao cao shu
Authors: Shou-liang Chen & Sylvia M. Phillips
Annual. Leaf blades linear, flat; ligule membranous. Inflorescence composed of dense globular spikelet clusters, spaced or confluent along an elongate central axis, outer spikelets of each cluster with an enlarged lower glume and the lower or all lemmas empty, forming a chaffy involucre of linear-acuminate scales. Spikelets ovate, strongly laterally compressed, florets several, usually disarticulating above glumes and between florets; glumes slightly shorter than lemmas, subequal, membranous, narrow, 1-veined, acuminate to a short awn-point; lemmas 3-veined, keeled, membranous, shortly ciliate on keel and margins, keel acuminately extended into an awn-point; palea winged on keels. Lodicules 1–2. Stamens 1–3. Caryopsis with embryo 1/2 its length and free pericarp.
Two species: tropical Africa, Australia, India; one species in China.
The relationships of this odd little genus are still unclear. Molecular studies show it is probably more closely related to a group known as the crinipoid Danthonieae, from Africa and India, than to Danthonia and Schismus.
