Plants small, shrublike, or arborescent, spreading and densely clumped; rhizomes leptomorph. Culms pluricaespitose, erect to drooping, 0.5–13 m tall, to 6 cm thick; internodes terete or moderately grooved; nodes not greatly swollen; supra-nodal ridge not evident. Branch buds tall, prophylls 2-keeled, initially closed at front, without promontory. Branches erect, initially 1–3 per node, short or long, central slightly dominant with basal nodes compressed, branches always fully sheathed, without replication of lateral branches, sheaths and prophylls ± glabrous. Culm sheaths deciduous to very persistent, tough; blade erect or reflexed, narrowly triangular to strap-shaped. Leaf sheaths persistent; blades moderately large for size of culm, without marginal necrosis in winter, arrangement random, transverse veins distinct. Inflorescence an open raceme or panicle; branching subtended by large or small bracts. Spikelets 2–20 cm; rachilla sinuous, disarticulation below florets; florets 3–30. Glumes 2, shorter than first lemma; lemma to 1 cm. Palea 2-keeled. Stamens 3. Stigmas 3.
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