Tufted annuals, with crateriform glands on culms, peduncle and panicle axis, branches and pedicels, sometimes aromatic. Culms erect or decumbent, terete or compressed, usually grooved along one side, 17–42 cm high; glands often clustered near nodes. Leaves mostly glabrous and smooth; ligule a fringe of hairs, 1–3 mm long; blade usually loosely rolled, straight. Panicles contracted, 10–15 cm long, 2–10 cm wide, scaberulous; primary branches 1–4-nate, often whorled, divided or the upper ones simple, entirely spikelet-bearing. Spikelets pedicellate, linear, 2.7–4.3 mm long, 0.5–1 mm wide; rachilla zig-zagged; florets 8–14 (lemma and palea divergent when floret in grain); terminal floret vestigial. Glumes unequal, membranous to hyaline; lower glume linear or ovate, often scalelike, 0.4–0.6 mm long; upper glume ovate or oblong, 0.7–1 mm long, sometimes lobed. Lemma ovate to oblong-elliptic, 0.8–1 mm long, obtuse, sometimes emarginate, hyaline to membranous. Palea falling with or after the lemma, membranous-hyaline; body spathulate; keels shorter than palea and dividing it into 3 lobes, smooth; flaps narrower than body. Stamens 3; anthers c. 0.2 mm long. Grain not compressed, oblong to ellipsoid, flat to concave on back, 0.3–0.5 mm long, reddish brown.
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