Tufted perennials or annuals, bisexual. Culms fragile at maturity; nodes glabrous. Leaves: ligule membranous; blade linear. Inflorescence paniculate, usually open, much-branched, often completely detaching at maturity, branches ±divaricate. Spikelets small, laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes, mostly with 1 bisexual floret; rachilla extension 20–100% lemma length (rarely minute), glabrous to long-hairy. Glumes usually ±equal, as long as spikelet, acute, awnless, 1-nerved, with keel scabrid. Lemma usually shorter and less firm than glumes, apex truncate or with some or all of the nerves minutely excurrent or more commonly the central nerve bearing an awn, dorsally 1-awned (awn sometimes subapical or rarely absent), keeled, 5-nerved, usually hairy or sometimes glabrous; awn geniculate or straight, scabrid, with column sometimes twisted. Palea 65–100% lemma length.
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