The Latin word nassa refers to "a basket with a narrow neck".

[2] As of 2011, The Jepson Manual includes Nassella within Stipa.

[3] Nasella is characterized by strongly overlapping lemma margins and reduced, veinless paleae.

Many species form both cross-pollinating and self-pollinating florets in the terminal panicle.

Some species have self-pollinating inflorescences hidden in their basal leaf sheaths.