Annuals. Leaf-blades flat; ligule membranous. Inflorescence spike-like, its straight angular rhachis bearing deciduous sessile clusters of 7–9 spikelets; clusters cuneate, the 6–8 outer spikelets sterile (rarely ♂) pedicelled and involucral, the inner hermaphrodite and subsessile. Outer spikelets lanceolate to oblong, dorsally compressed; glumes subulate from a broad base; lower floret reduced to a membranous lemma as long as the spikelet; upper lemma reduced or absent. Inner spikelet larger; lower glume suppressed, the upper subulate or oblong; lower floret reduced to a membranous lemma as long as the spikelet; upper lemma thinly chartaceous with the flat thin margins covering the palea. Caryopsis lanceolate to oblong, dorsally compressed.
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