Ges. Naturf. Freunde Berlin, Neue Schriften 3: 440 (1801) nom. cons.; Gen. Gram.: 253 (1986).
Description:
* Mat-forming rhizomatous perennials.
* Inflorescence a single raceme with spikelets arranged at all sides.
* Spikelets shortly pedicellate, laterally compressed to terete with one bisexual floret, falling with the glumes from the persistent pedicels. Rachis ending in a bisexual spikelets. Glumes very unequal, the lower minute or absent, nerveless; upper glume exceeding and enclosing the floret, awned or aristulate. Lemmas aristulate, hyaline, dorsally rounded. Caryopsis with a short hilum and fused pericarp.
The genus has appr. 10 species.