Ess. Agrost. 100 (1812); Gen. Gram.: 149 (1986).- Type-species: Brachypodium pinnatum (Linn.) P. Beauv.
Description:
* Perennials, rarely annuals; flimsy upright stems form tussocks. Leaves usually flat or curved; ligule membranous.
* Inflorescence in a loose linear spike-like raceme, its relatively few spikelets borne singly on a pedicel of 0.5-2.5 mm long and divergent from the rough rhachis.
* Spikelets 5-20-flowered, elongated, subterete, disarticulating above glumes. Glumes membranous, shorter than the lowest lemma, distinctly 3-9-nerved, rounded on the back, obtuse to shortly awned. Lemmas narrow, often scaberulous or pilose, herbaceous to firmly membranous, 7-9-nerved, obtuse or midnerve extended at the tip into a fine straight awn; awns increasing in length slightly up the spikelet. Caryopsis tightly enclosed by palea and lemma, apex hairy.
A predominantly temperate Eurasian genus with 16 species; woodland and open grassland, mountains in Africa.