Perennial. Culms tall, basal internodes often swollen into globose corms. Leaf blades linear, flat. Inflorescence a moderately dense panicle. Spikelets weakly laterally compressed, florets 2, dimorphic, sometimes with an additional rudiment, lower floret staminate and strongly awned, upper floret bisexual and weakly awned or awnless; rachilla disarticulating above glumes but not between florets, extended beyond terminal floret; glumes unequal, thin, lower glume 1/2 spikelet length or more, 1-veined, upper glume as long as spikelet, 3-veined; lemmas firmly membranous to subleathery, rounded on back, 5–9-veined, apex 2-denticulate; lower lemma awned from near base, awn geniculate with twisted column, exserted from spikelet; upper lemma with a short straight awn or awnless; palea slightly shorter than lemma, keels ciliate. Ovary apex hairy; hilum linear.

Seven species: SW Asia, Europe, Mediterranean region; one species (introduced) in China.

(Authors: Wu Zhenlan (吴珍兰); Sylvia M. Phillips)