Annuals. Leaf-blades commonly flat. Inflorescence a dense compressed spike. Spikelets spiltary at the nodes of the fragile or rarely somewhat tough axis, distichously arranged, strongly laterally compressed, 3-6-flowered, the rhachilla disarticulating above the glumes and between the florets. Glumes equal, coriaceous, becoming very hard at maturity, keeled, awnless or shortly awned; lemmas coriaceous, 5-nerved, keeled, acute or awned; palea 2-keeled, ciliate or prickly on the keels above.