Long-rhizomatous, wiry-leaved perennials forming compact, glaucous-grey tufts to 170 cm; with strong woody rhizomes and numerous fibrous roots; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath glabrous, light straw-brown or brownish purple. Ligule 15-30 mm, membranous, narrowed to a point, abaxially covered with very minute hairs. Leaf-blade 35-60 cm ×c. 1.5 mm diam., tightly involute, abaxially glabrous, adaxially ribbed, ribs densely short stiff hairy. Culm 70-145 cm, internodes usually scabrid, sometimes smooth to slightly scabrid. Panicle 15-25-(35.5) cm, spike-like, cylindric, tapering above, with numerous crowded light green spikelets; rachis minutely scabrid, erect branches and pedicels hidden among spikelets. Glumes 9.5-14 mm, ± equal, persistent, subhyaline, narrow-lanceolate, glabrous, keel and margins minutely scabrid, tip blunt or obtuse; lower usually 1-nerved, upper usually 3-nerved. Lemma 8.5-13 mm, < glumes, 5-nerved, narrow-lanceolate, obtuse, minutely apiculate, keeled, keel minutely scabrid. Palea 2-4-nerved, subhyaline, central nerves minutely scabrid. Lodicules 1.5-2.5 mm. Callus ringed by long straight silky hairs. Rachilla prolongation bearing long, straight, silky hairs. Anthers 3.5-5.5 mm. Caryopsis c. 3 mm.