Compactly tufted or tussock-forming perennials, eglandular, often glaucous or pruinose; cataphylls chartaceous, glabrous, glossy. Culms erect, (15–) 30–140 cm high. Leaves mostly glabrous and smooth; sheaths often overlapping, abruptly wider than blade; ligule 0.3–0.6 mm long; blade flat or rolled, straight, to 22 cm long, often filiform. Panicles usually contracted and spiciform, 9–47 cm long, 1–3 (–11) cm wide; branches often drooping, sometimes naked in lower third. Spikelets sessile or with pedicel to 0.2 mm long, linear to lanceolate, 4.5–50 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, lead-grey; rachilla straight; florets 15–110 (–145), closely overlapping. Glumes unequal, lanceolate; lower glume 1–1.7 mm long; upper glume 1.5–1.8 mm long. Lemma leaving an annular remnant on the rachilla, ovate or lanceolate, 1.5–2 mm long, acute or obtuse, membranous, 3-nerved. Palea less than half as long as lemma, shortly keeled; body spathulate; flaps much narrower than body. Stamens 2; anthers 0.2–0.3 mm long. Grain not compressed or laterally compressed, biconvex, 0.3–0.6 mm long.
Commonly found in seasonally wet sites with sandy, alluvialsoils; also in lateritic, calcareous and saline soils and moist disturbedground.
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