Annuals, caespitose, bisexual. Ligule short, dentate, membranous, often hairy abaxially especially toward margins. Inflorescences paniculate, spike-like, contracted. Spikelets pedicellate, laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes, with 2–4 bisexual florets; rachilla prolonged beyond uppermost bisexual floret. Glumes 2, very unequal, pointed, awnless, keeled; lower glume shorter than adjacent lemma, 1-nerved; upper glume longer than adjacent lemma, 3-nerved. Lemma linear, entire or very shortly bidentate, with 1 ±straight dorsal awn arising from near top, similar in texture to glumes, almost cylindrical, usually 3-nerved. Palea conspicuous but relatively short, bifid. Lodicules not toothed. Stamens 3. Caryopsis elongated, almost cylindrical, fragile; hilum short; embryo small; endosperm liquid when mature.
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