Annuals or perennials. Leaf blades linear, flat; ligule membranous. Inflorescence condensed, a narrowly spikelike or capitate panicle, ± 1-sided, bearing paired dimorphic spikelets, the outer of each pair sterile and covering a fertile spikelet. Fertile spikelet with (1–)2–5 florets, laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes and between florets; glumes subequal, narrow, thin, acute; lemmas leathery, rounded on back, 5-veined, scabrid upward, apex acute, narrowly obtuse or bidenticulate, mucronate or awned. Sterile spikelet flattened, reduced to distichously pectinate glumes and sterile empty lemmas, persistent on panicle. Caryopsis elliptic or oblong, adherent to palea. x = 7.

Eight species: N Africa, SW Asia, Europe; introduced elsewhere; one species (introduced) in China.

(Authors: Chen Shouliang (陈守良); Sylvia M. Phillips)