Its main characteristic is the bright and gold color, hence their common name "capim dourado", which literally means "golden grass".

The making of handicrafts from S. nitens began in Jalapão, in the Afro-Brazilian community of Mumbuca in the municipality of Mateiros.

Indigenous people, probably from the Xerente ethnic group, taught the art to local inhabitants when passing through the region around the 1930s.

The handicrafts are made of coils of S. nitens scapes sewn tightly together with strips from the Moriche Palm's (Mauritia flexuosa) young leaves.

[2] Syngonanthus nitens' flowering starts in July and seeds are produced from the beginning of September through October.