Perennial, tufted or rhizomatous. Culms erect or ascending. Leaf sheaths with fused margins; leaf blades linear; ligule membranous, often cylindrical and then sometimes with lobe on side opposite blade. Panicle spreading or more often contracted, sometimes scanty or racemelike; pedicels drooping, pubescent below spikelet. Spikelets weakly laterally compressed, composed of 1–3 lower fertile florets and a few upper reduced florets, these often compressed into a terminal cluster of rudimentary scales, disarticulating below lowest floret, tardily between florets, or spikelet falling entire; glumes well developed, broadly lanceolate or ovate, often not keeled, membranous or papery, equal or lower glume shorter, 1–5-veined, apex obtuse or acute; floret callus small, glabrous, obtuse; lemmas broadly lanceolate or ovate, usually herbaceous, sometimes largely membranous, back rounded, smooth, scabrid or hairy; 5–9(–13)-veined, apex membranous, obtuse, acute, or shallowly 2-lobed; palea usually shorter than lemma, or as long as lemma in upper florets, keels scabrid or ciliolate. Stamens 3. x = 9.

About 90 species:temperate and subtropical regions of the world, except Australia; 23 species (eight endemic) in China.