Citation: Desf., Fl. Atlant. 1:66 (1798).

Derivation: Greek polys, many; pogon, a beard; alluding to the bristly panicle.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: None

Description:
Glabrous annuals or perennials; leaf blades flat; ligule long, glabrous.

Inflorescence a dense spike-like panicle; spikelets 1-flowered, laterally compressed; glumes equal, 1-nerved, notched, keeled, hairy, with or without a rather long straight slender awn rising between the 2 lobes of the notch; lemma much smaller, hyaline, truncate, 4-toothed, with or without a short caducous awn; spikelets falling off as a whole, owing to the pedicel disarticulating a short distance below the glumes, leaving the short callus (sometimes called the upper joint of the pedicel) attached to the spikelet.

Distribution:  About 15 species from tropical and temperate areas.

Biology: No text

Key to Species:

1. Annual; glumes (and sometimes the lemma) awned
2. Glumes with 2 long subacute lobes	P. maritimus 1.
2. Glumes with 2 very short blunt lobes	P. monspeliensis 2.
1. Perennial; glumes and lemma awnless	P. viridis 3.

Author: Not yet available