Short tufted perennials, with or without rhizomes. Leaf-blades usually very narrow. Inflorescence a spike-like panicle, often lobed or interrupted, glistening. Spikelets (1-)2-8(-13)-flowered, all alike, the rhachilla produced and with or without a rudimentary lemma; glumes subequal or unequal, lanceolate, keeled, with hyaline margins, mostly subacute to acuminate; lemmas usually a little longer than the glumes, faintly 3-5(-7)-nerved, with hyaline margins, usually acute to acuminate, with or without a short terminal awn; callus obscure, glabrous or almost so; stamens 3; stigmas 2.