Perennials. Leaf-blades flat, folded or involute. Inflorescence a dense capitate or spiciform unilateral panicle in which the subsessile spikelets are closely packed on rhachides arranged on one side of the axis. Spikelets 4-18-flowered, compressed. Glumes unequal, keeled, chartaceous, mucronate; lemmas similar in texture, 9-11-nerved, keeled, mucronate or subaristate; palea thinner, 2-keeled, ciliate on the keels; anthers 3. Grain oblong-elliptic or oblong-obovate in outline, flat adaxially, rounded abaxially.