2n = 28

Tufted annuals or perennials, sometimes forming large tussocks, often rhizomatous or stoloniferous, with intra- or extravaginal new shoots. Leaf sheaths open or closed, membranous to coriaceous, abaxially smooth or scabrous; ligule membranous, entire or rarely lacerate, sometimes ciliate across top, sometimes reduced to a truncate, minutely ciliatetipped rim, scabrous or smooth abaxially; laminae persistent or disarticulating at ligule, flat, folded, sometimes setaceous or filiform, margins sometimes inrolled, coriaceous, or soft and flaccid, abaxially smooth, scabrous, or rarely papillose, adaxially smooth, scabrous, very shortly hairy, or rarely papillose, margins smooth or scabrous, tip hooded, or finely acute to stiffly semi-pungent. Culms unbranched above, internodes hollow. Inflorescence an open or contracted panicle, with smooth, scabrous, or rarely papillose branchlets; spikelets pedicellate, laterally compressed, 2-several- flowered, uppermost florets reduced; rachilla disarticulating above glumes and between florets, prolonged beyond florets; hermaphrodite, dioecious, gynomonoecious; flowering chasmogamous in New Zealand species. Glumes subequal or unequal, usually shorter than adjacent lemmas, keeled, narrow-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, acute to subobtuse, smooth, or scabrous, at least in part; lower glume 1-3-nerved, upper 3-(5)- nerved. Lemma keeled, obtuse to acute to acuminate, awnless but midnerve occasionally slightly excurrent, (3)-5-(7)-nerved, nerves shortly hairy in lower half, or short scabrous, or smooth and glabrous, internerves variously short hairy, scabrous, smooth and glabrous, or occasionally papillose. Palea almost equalling lemma, keels and surface between keels scabrous to ciliate, or smooth and glabrous. Callus short, with loose woolly hairs or glabrous. Lodicules 2, glabrous, occasionally hairtipped. Stamens 3, yellow or purple. Ovary 2-styled. Caryopsis with punctiform or shortly elliptic hilum less than ½ length of caryopsis; embryo less than 1/3 length of caryopsis.

Tussock-forming perennials, moderately tall, rhizomatous; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath open, glabrous. Ligule short, submembranous, truncate, shortly ciliate, abaxially glabrous. Leaf-blade stiff, rolled. Culm internodes glabrous. Panicle contracted, almost spike-like; branches short, stiff. Spikelets 3-6-flowered, pedicelled, laterally compressed; disarticulation above glumes; rachilla prolonged, ± hairy. Glumes 3-5-nerved, subequal, ≈ lemma of proximal floret, coriaceous, keeled, acute. Lemma 5-7-nerved, coriaceous, keeled; apex obtuse, or minutely notched with midnerve minutely excurrent. Palea subcoriaceous, keels 2, stiffly ciliate. Lodicules 2, bilobed, ciliate, and with a few minute hairs centrally. Callus ringed by short, stiff hairs. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous, styles free to base, stigmas plumose, whitish. Caryopsis elliptic to cylindric, adaxially longitudinally grooved; embryo small; hilum oval, c. ¼ length of caryopsis.

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