They are found in most temperate regions of the world.

The spikelets have between one and seven fertile flowers with a rudimentary structure at the distal end composed of one to four sterile florets.

[1] Some species of melic have corms, lending them the name oniongrass.

[2] The genus is most diverse in South America and temperate Asia.

[4] In North America, most species occur west of the Mississippi River, with exceptions being Melica mutica and M. nitens which occur throughout much of the southeast and lower Midwest respectively.