Lower leaf-sheaths with ± dense, long, soft hairs. Leaf-blade 2-22 cm × 1.5-8 mm. Racemes erect, green to purplish, sometimes dark brown at maturity; rachis margins long hairy. Central spikelet ☿, on glabrous pedicel 0.5-1 mm; lateral spikelets on shortly pubescent pedicels, 1-1.5 mm. Lateral spikelets: outer glumes 17-24 mm, inner 15-18 mm and with long hairy margins near base; lemma abaxially glabrous and straw-coloured below, green and more distinctly nerved and scabrid on nerves above, awn 11-27 mm; palea adaxially villous; lodicules 2.5 mm, hairy; anthers 0.8-1.6 mm. Central spikelet: lemma smooth but sparsely scabrid below awn, pale whitish green, greenish to purplish above, awn 18-30 mm, ± reaching to top of awns of lateral spikelets; palea keels with a few prickle-teeth near rounded, produced or bifid, ciliate apex, interkeel long hairy, adaxially short-ciliate. Anthers 0.8-1 mm.