Avenastrum Opiz; Avenula (Dumortier) Dumortier; Trisetum sect. Avenula Dumortier.

Perennials, tussocky, often rhizomatous. Leaf blades linear to setaceous, flat, folded or rolled; ligule membranous. Inflorescence a panicle, open or often contracted, sometimes without secondary branching. Spikelets with 2 to several fertile florets and 1 or 2 reduced sterile florets above; rachilla pilose, disarticulating below each floret; glumes lanceolate, slightly unequal, usually shorter than spikelet and often shorter than lemmas, hyaline to membranous, lower glume 1–3-veined, upper glume 3–5-veined, keel scaberulous, apex acute; floret callus shortly bearded; lemmas lanceolate, firmly membranous to leathery, rounded or weakly keeled, 5–7(–9)-veined, glabrous, awned from middle of back or slightly above, apex minutely to deeply 2–4-toothed; awn geniculate with twisted column, sometimes weakly so or almost straight; palea slightly shorter than lemma and enclosed within lemma margins, keels scabrid-ciliolate to ciliate. Ovary densely hairy toward apex. Caryopsis with linear hilum; endosperm sometimes liquid.

Most species provide good forage.

About 100 species: Europe eastward to Japan, North America, also on tropical mountains; 14 species (seven endemic) in China.

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