Annuals or perennials, rhizomatous or stoloniferous or caespitose, bisexual. Ligule a ciliate membrane to a fringe of hairs. Inflorescence a single spike, a single raceme or paniculate. Spikelets very shortly pedicellate, subsessile or sessile, laterally or not noticeably compressed, with 2–9 (–14) bisexual florets, tardily disarticulating between florets; rachilla prolonged beyond bisexual florets with incomplete florets. Glumes 2, very unequal to ±equal, awned or awnless, carinate or noncarinate, often bristly; lower glume (3–) 5 (–7)-nerved; upper glume 5 (–7)-nerved. Lemma entire, awnless to mucronate or 1-awned, less firm than to similar in texture to glumes (membranous to chartaceous), usually carinate, sometimes non-carinate, 5–9-nerved, hairy (usually with clavate hairs) or glabrous; awn median, apical, non-geniculate. Palea relatively long. Grain: hilum short; pericarp fairly loosely adherent or free. Embryo waisted.
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