Lasiagrostis Link; Stipa sect. Lasiagrostis (Link) Hackel; Timouria Roshevitz.

Perennials, usually tussocky. Leaf blades linear to setaceous, flat or rolled. Inflorescence an open or contracted panicle, sometimes almost spikelike. Spikelets with 1 floret, bisexual, disarticulating above glumes; rachilla extension absent; glumes lanceolate to elliptic-oblong, subequal or slightly unequal, a little longer than floret, membranous, 1–3(–5)-veined, apex obtuse to acuminate; callus short, obtuse or acute, not pungent, shortly bearded; lemma lanceolate, terete, usually papery, sometimes becoming somewhat indurate at maturity, 3–5-veined, pilose, margins typically approximate, sometimes overlapping, apex shortly 2-toothed, awned from between teeth; awn persistent or deciduous, straight or 1(or 2)-geniculate with twisted column, scabrid throughout or column minutely hairy; palea midline often exposed between lemma margins. Lodicules 3, lanceolate. Stamens 3, anthers often with hair tufts at apex. Stigmas 2.

Achnatherum is sometimes included within a more broadly defined Stipa, mainly because of the difficulty in placing the group of species around A. sibiricum, which are intermediate in their characteristics. Some species, including A. inebrians, are poisonous to livestock.

About 50 species: N Africa, Europe eastward to Japan, North America; 18 species (six endemic) in China.