Tufted perennials, sometimes rhizomatous; innovations extravaginal. Leaf-sheaths rounded at back; ligule membranous; leaf-blades flat, involute, convolute or conduplicate. Culms erect, or decumbent at base, persistent at maturity; nodes glabrous. Inflorescence paniculate, contracted and + spicate, often lobed below, or sometimes more lax, persistent. Spikelets 1-flowered, rarely 2-flowered, laterally compressed; rachilla disarticulating above glumes, usually prolonged beyond floret and tipped by a tuft of silky hairs or rarely by a floret, sometimes rachilla prolongation glabrous and very short or not visible under the light microscope. Glumes ± equal and equalling the spikelet, lanceolate, acute or acuminate, membranous to submembranous, 1-(3)- nerved, keel scabrous. Lemma usually < glumes and firmer, submembranous to subcoriaceous, lanceolate, usually minutely 2-4-toothed, rounded at back, hairless, ± scabrous, + obscurely 5-nerved, with lateral nerves occasionally excurrent; awn dorsal, scabrous, geniculate or straight, inserted from near base of lemma to slightly above midpoint of lemma, to subterminal in several Australian species, rarely 0. Palea slightly < to ± = lemma, hyaline, 2- keeled. Lodicules 2, lanceolate or linear, acute to obtuse, membranous, glabrous. Callus short, blunt, with minute hairs, or the hairs to 2/3 or rarely almost equalling lemma, rarely glabrous. Stamens 3; anthers not penicillate (except D. youngii). Ovary glabrous; styles distinct, free to base, short; stigmas 2, plumose. Caryopsis compressed, fusiform to oblong or obovoid; embryo small; endosperm doughy or dry.

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