[3] The genus is found worldwide, but especially in the tropical and subtropical regions, and more often in the Southern Hemisphere.

They bear inflorescences shaped like umbels, with several plumes lined with rows of spikelets.

The genus is characterized by the series of sterile florets above the lowest fertile ones, spikes usually 4–10 in numbers (occasionally 1–2), approximated or in a slightly separated series of 10–20 spikes, rarely an indefinite numbers of terminal spikes (then usually up to 50 or rarely more, as seen in Chloris roxburghiana Schultes).

[4][3] The genus was named for Chloris of Greek myth, a figure associated with flowers and spring.

[2][5] Some species formerly placed in genus Chloris are now placed in other genera, including Aegopogon, Austrochloris, Bouteloua, Chondrosum, Chrysochloa, Ctenium, Cynodon, Dactyloctenium, Daknopholis, Disakisperma, Eleusine, Enteropogon, Eustachys, Gymnopogon, Harpochloa, Leptochloa, Oxychloris, Pseudopogonatherum, Schoenefeldia, Schoenefeldiella, Tetrapogon, and Trichloris.