Arborescent bamboo, moderately sized. Rhizome long necked, pachymorph. Culms diffuse or in open clumps, erect; internodes terete; wall thin; nodal ridge not prominent. Branches many, subequal. Culm sheaths persistent, shorter than internodes, distally corrugate, with external ligule; auricles absent; blade erect or basally erect, distally reflexed, sword-shaped, long. Leaves large, glabrous, transverse veins visible abaxially. Inflorescence fully bracteate, iterauctant, terminal. Pseudospikelets slightly compressed bilaterally, in clusters of 2–4 on flowering branches, with 1 fertile floret and 1 to several sterile florets. Rachilla articulate. Glumes 2–4, gemmiferous; lemma similar to glumes, ovate-lanceolate. Palea convolute, rounded. Lodicules 2. Stamens 6; filaments free or irregularly connate; anthers obtuse at apex. Ovary glabrous; style long, hollow; stigmas 2–4. Fruit pear-shaped, large, 5–13 cm, long beaked at apex; pericarp thick, fleshy, without endosperm, usually viviparous.

Two species: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar; one species (introduced) in China.

(Authors: Xia Nianhe (夏念和); Chris Stapleton)