Compactly or loosely tufted annuals or perennials, with simple or branched culms, sometimes geniculate at lower nodes, hollow. Leaves: ligule a short, unfringed, lacerate, ciliate or fimbriate membrane; blade linear to narrowly lanceolate. Inflorescences terminal, digitate or subdigitate, espatheate; racemes solitary or paired, spike-like. Spikelets numerous, solitary, alternately arranged along one side of rachis, on short pedicels, laterally compressed. Glumes similar, laterally compressed, conduplicate, keeled along midvein; lower glume 1-keeled; upper glume (in Australia) lanceolate-acute, membranous on each side of midvein. Lower floret reduced to a membranous lemma, sterile. Upper floret with lemma bidentate or 2-lobed, with a geniculate glabrous awn or awnless (not in Australia); palea absent; bisexual. Caryopsis linear, laterally compressed.