Medium-sized and forming dense thickets; rhizomes running extensively from periphery. Culm 3-5 m, dark green; banded white just below nodes. Culm-sheath green or greenish purple, eventually very pale, internodes almost all hidden in lower and middle parts of culm; ligule 2-3 mm, broad and prominent, truncate. Branches 1 per node, sometimes 2-3 at upper nodes. Leaf-sheath glabrous, often purplish above. Ligule minutely puberulent. Leaf-blade (1)-3-5-(7) on each branch, to 25-(30) × 3.5-(4) cm, broadly linear or linear-oblong, abaxially upper ⅓ green and lower ⅔ glaucescent, adaxially shining dark green, acuminate. Inflorescence ± purple, at least on exposed side. Spikelets 4-9 cm, flattened; florets to c. 12, distichous. Glumes 2. Lemma 10-13 mm, including short awn, ciliate, obscurely tessellate. Fig. 1.