Greek stenos – narrow, taphros – trench, referring to the narrow stem of the spike.
Perennial creeping, stoloniferous and rhizomatous grasses, rarely tufted annuals. Leaf sheaths strongly flattened and ridged. Leaf blades broad, short and blunt tipped folded in bud. Ligule fringed membranous. Inflorescences erect, 1-sided, spike-like. Spikelets solitary or 2-5 on one side of the flattened axis and sunken into it. Stigmas long thin, white and thread like. Glumes 2, unequal, awnless, lower glume 0-nerved, upper glume 5-9 nerved. Lemmas awnless, hairless, margins flat on palea, 3-5 nerved. Palea 2-nerved.
Seed or division of runners.
S. secundatum is a tough grass used in coastal areas as a pasture grass and for heavy wearing lawns in warm growing areas. Some species are use for fodder.
Strongly flattened and keeled leaf sheaths; spike-like raceme; spikelets sunk into floral axis.
7 species from tropical and warm regions, mainly coastal. Australia has 1 native species and 1 naturalised species.
Sauer (1972).
Source: (2005). Poaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.