It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on various islands.

They have flat leaves and blunt ligules (a small flap at the junction of leaf and stem).

Their inflorescence is a dense panicle (a branching head without terminal flower) with 1-flowered spikelets.

A few, particularly A. myosuroides, are considered weeds, others are very decorative and are used in bouquets of dried flowers.

Numerous species once considered part of Alopecurus but now regarded as better suited to other genera: Agrostis, Cornucopiae, Crypsis, Koeleria, Milium, Muhlenbergia, Pennisetum, Perotis, Phleum, Polypogon, Rostraria, Setaria and, Tribolium.