Perennials, rarely annual. Leaves aromatic. Inflorescence composed of short, paired racemes arranged in a dense, spherical to elongated, spatheate false panicle. Rhachis internodes and pedicels filiform, long-ciliate on both margins; lowermost sometimes swollen and barrel-shaped. Racemes deflexed at maturity, borne on subequal flattened raceme-bases; with lowermost pair of spikelets a homogamous pair. Sessile spikelet dorsally flattened; callus obtuse; lower glume with a median groove, narrowly winged on the keels, awnless; lower floret reduced to a hyaline lemma; upper floret fertile; lemma deeply 2-lobed or entire, awnless. Pedicellate spikelet male, rounded on back, awnless.