Plants annual. Culms erect or geniculate-ascending. Leaf sheath split to base; leaf blade usually flat. Spike ellipsoid-ovoid or cylindric-ovoid, very dense; rachis short, disarticulating at nodes. Spikelets 1 per node, held at nearly 90° to rachis, sessile, laterally compressed, with 3–6 florets; rachilla somewhat scabrous or shortly pilose, with or without joints below each floret. Glumes boat-shaped, leathery, with prominent keel, margin somewhat thickened, ultimately subhorny. Lemma leathery, 5-veined, 1-keeled, apex pointed or shortly awned; callus very short. Palea usually almost 2/3 as long as lemma, scabrous or pilose along keels. Lodicules ciliate at margin. Caryopsis somewhat adherent to lemma and palea. x = 7.
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