Annuals or perennials, caespitose, bisexual. Ligule an eciliate membrane to a fringe of hairs. Inflorescence a slender single spike with rachis hollowed. Spikelets all partially embedded in the rachis, secundly arranged or not, biseriate or distichous, sessile, laterally compressed, with 3–20 bisexual florets, disarticulating above the glumes and between the florets; rachilla extension with incomplete florets. Glumes 2, very unequal to ±equal, shorter than the spikelet, awnless, carinate; lower glume 1-nerved; upper glume 1-or 3-or 5-nerved. Callus short, bearded. Lemmas shortly 2-or 4-lobed or sometimes emarginate, mucronate or awned (shortly 1-awned in Australia), carinate, 1–3-nerved; awns 1 or 3 or 5 when present, with awns or mucros usually from a median sinus or behind the apex, or sometimes the lobes awned or mucronate. Palea keels usually winged in lower part. Lodicules fleshy. Caryopsis terete or trigonous; hilum short; pericarp fused.
Home