Perennial or annual. Culms erect, decumbent or rambling. Leaf blades linear, sometimes aromatic; ligule membranous, margin ciliolate. Inflorescence a terminal open panicle with elongate central axis; branches capillary, subdivided, each branchlet tipped by a short raceme; racemes with 1–5(–8) spikelet pairs, often reduced to triads of 1 sessile and 2 pedicelled spikelets, basal homogamous spikelet pairs absent; rachis internodes and pedicels slender, with a median translucent stripe between thickened margins. Sessile spikelet dorsally compressed; callus very short, obtuse, shortly bearded; lower glume cartilaginous, broadly convex to slightly concave, flanks rounded, keeled toward apex, apex acute to obtuse; upper glume boat-shaped, dorsally keeled; lower floret reduced to a small empty hyaline lemma; upper lemma stipitiform, entire, awned from apex; awn geniculate, glabrous or puberulous. Pedicelled spikelet male or barren, similar to the sessile or smaller, herbaceous.

This homogeneous genus is distinguished from Bothriochloa by the combination of an elongate inflorescence and few-spiculate racemes.

About 14 species: E Africa, tropical Asia, Australia; five species (one endemic) in China.

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