Shrubby bamboos. Rhizomes leptomorph, with running underground stems. Culms pluricaespitose, erect; internodes terete; nodes weakly prominent. Branches 7–12 per node, rarely more than 20, slender, without secondary branching. Culm sheaths persistent, much shorter than internodes; auricles absent or conspicuous; ligule arched or truncate, short; blade broadly conical or narrowly lanceolate. Leaves usually solitary on each branch; sheaths narrow, closely appressed to branchlets and inconspicuous, usually solitary or rarely 2 or more; blade lanceolate or broadly lanceolate to elliptical, short transverse veins distinct. Inflorescence paniculate, large, open, terminal to leafy branches. Spikelets mostly light green, small, 3–5-flowered; pedicel slender. Rachilla compressed. Glumes 2; lemma compressed laterally, ridged abaxially; palea 2-keeled, truncate at apex; lodicules 3. Stamens 3; filaments free. Stigmas 2, or rarely 1, plumose. Caryopsis globose, beaked. New shoots autumn–winter.