Perennials, tussocky. Leaf blades usually rolled. Inflorescence a simple panicle, compact or elongate, 1-sided, spikelets few. Spikelets with 1–3 florets, laterally compressed or cylindrical, disarticulating above glumes and between florets; rachilla extension present; glumes subequal, equaling or a little shorter than spikelet, herbaceous with hyaline margins, rounded on back, 5–9-veined, often with transverse veinlets; callus hairy; lemmas lanceolate to narrowly ovate, membranous or leathery, hispid or villous, apex 2-toothed to deeply 2-cleft, awned from between lobes; awn geniculate, column twisted; palea keeled, keels usually extended into sharp mucros. Lodicules absent (rarely 2, oblanceolate). Stamens 3, anthers glabrous or shortly hairy at apex. Ovary strigose, stigmas 2 or 3, borne on a long pubescent style. Caryopsis tipped by a subulate beak formed from persistent style.
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