ANTHISTIRIA, in botany: A genus of the trigynia order, belonging to the triandria class of plants; and, in the natural method, ranking under the 4th order, Gramina. The characters are: The calyx is a four-valved glume equally cleft to the base: The corolla is a two-valved glume: The stamina consist of three short slender filaments; the antheræ oblong and erect: The pistillum has an oblong germen; the style is two; and the stigmata are clavate and hairy: There is no pericarpium, except a closed calyx: The seed is oblong and furrowed. There is only one species of this grass, the ciliata or fringed anthistiria, a native of India.