Medium-sized with short monopodial rhizomes. Culms dense; nodes prominent; internodes hollow, lower and middle internodes terete, upper internodes flattened and slightly grooved on alternate sides above each node. Culm-sheath tardily deciduous. Culms with branches usually 3 per node when young, later clustered and up to 8. Leaf-sheath with oral bristles. Leaf-blade distinctly tessellate. Inflorescence of fascicled spikes, subtended by sheathing bracts; each spike consisting of 1 to few spikelets with 2-(7) florets. Glumes 0-1. Lodicules 3. Stamens 3. Stigmas 3.