2n = 84

Lax, robust tufts. Leaf-sheath glabrous, ± striate. Ligule 3-5 mm, ± chartaceous, hairy, erose to variously lobed. Leaf-blade 30-75 cm × 8-12 mm, tapering, abaxially glabrous, adaxially scabrid on prominent ribs; margins thick, toothed. Culm 60-120 cm, internodes glabrous, ridged. Panicle 15-30 cm, ± erect; branches 1-2 at each node, glabrous, naked below, spikelets densely crowded above; pedicels scabrid to villous. Glumes subequal, ± membranous with wide scarious margin and tip, ovate-lanceolate, acute, glabrous, keeled; upper 7-9 mm, 3-nerved. Florets included by glumes, brown to dark brown at maturity. ♂ florets: lemma 6-8 mm, oblong-ovate, lobes 1-1.25 mm erose and scarious-tipped, sparsely finely scabrid, long hairs at base, margins sparsely long-ciliate; awns 3-7 mm, slender, ± straight, insertion 1-2 mm below apex; palea 5-6 mm, membranous, keels ciliate; lodicules 0.5-1 mm, ± ovate, acute, irregularly 1-2-lobed, glabrous; callus hairs to 1 mm; anthers 2.5-3.5 mm. ☿ floret: lemma c. 5 mm, narrow-ovate, glabrous, apex minutely hairy, muticous or subapically mucronate with mucro 0-0.5 mm; palea ≈ lemma, keel toothed ± to base, ovate-lanceolate; lodicules c. 0.5 mm, glabrous; anthers 1.5-2 mm; gynoecium: ovary 1 mm, stigma-styles 5-6 mm; caryopsis 2.0-2.5 × 0.75 mm, embryo 0.5 mm, hilum 0.75-1 mm.

Plant perennial, robust, laxly tufted. Culms 60-120 cm tall with 4-5 elongated internodes. 2-3 cataphylls present at base, up to 5 cm and more long. Leaf sheath 5-25 cm long, glabrous, more or less striated. Ligule 3-5 mm long, more or less chartaceous, scarious, erose to variously lobed. Collar distinct, somewhat pulvinate. Leaf blade 30-75 cm long, 8-12 mm wide, flat tapering, glabrous on adaxial surface, scabrid and deeply striated on adaxial. Vascular bundles up to about 40, fairly uniform. Sclerenchyma discontinuous, bilateral, connected to bundles, forming T strands under flat adaxial ridges. Peduncles scarcely to distinctly longer than uppermost sheaths. Panicles 15-30 cm long, more or less erect, glabrous. Branches 1-2 at each node, bare below, glabrous. Spikelets densely crowded along upper parts of branches. Pedicels mostly less than 1 mm long, scabrid to villous. Glumes subequal, upper about 9 mm long, more or less membranous, with wide scarious margin and tip, glabrous, keeled, ovate-lanceolate, acute, 3-nerved, middle nerve as long as glume, lateral about 3 mm long or shorter. Rachilla very short, sinuous, glabrous. Florets included within glumes, brown to dark brown at maturity. Male florets lemmas about 7 mm long, oblong-ovate, erose and scarious tipped, scabrid, long ciliate margins, with fine pale cilia, villous at base and callus. Awns slender, more or less straight, 5-7 mm long, inserted 1-2 mm below apex. Paleas as long as lemmas, wide membranous, ciliate on keels. Lodicules about 1 mm long, more or less ovate, acute, irregularly 1-, 2-lobed. Anthers about 3 mm long. Bisexual floret lemma about 5 mm long, narrow-ovate, smooth below tip, tip minutely hairy, muticous or subapically mucronate, mucro to 1 mm long. Palea about equalling lemma, ovate-lanceolate.

Planta perennis, robusta, laxe caespitosa. Culmi 60-120 cm alti, cum internodiis 4-5 elongatis, cataphylla 2-3 ad 5 cm vel plus longa ad basim gerentes. Folii vagina 5-25 cm longa, glabra, plus minusve striata. Ligula 3-5 mm longa. Lamina 30-75 cm longa, 8-12 mm lata, plana, angustata. in abaxiali pagina glabra, in adaxiali pagina scabrida alteque striata. Fasciculi vasculares ad c. 40, satis uniformes. Sclerenchyma interruptum. bilaterale. ad fasciculos junctum, vittas, faciens in forma litterae T dispositas infra plana adaxialia iuga. Pedunculi vix vel valde vaginis superioribus longiores. Paniculae 15-30 cm longae, plus minusve erectae, glabrae. Rami 1-2 in quoque nodo, nudi infra, glabri. Spiculae dense confertae secus superiores ramorum cartes. Pedicelli plerumque minus quam 1 mm longi, scabridi vel villosi. Glumae subaequales; superior circa 9 mm longa. plus minusve membranacea, margine apiceque late scariosa, glabra, carinata, ovato-lanceolata, acuta, trinervis. medio nervo glumam aequanti, lateralibus nervis. circa 3 mm longis vel brevioribus. Rachilla brevissima, sinuosa, glabra. Flosculi intra glumas inclusi, brunnei vel fusci ad maturitatem. Lemmata flosculorum masculorum circa 7 mm longa, oblongo-ovata, erosa apicibus scariosis, scabrida, villosa infra et in callo, marginibus longe ciliatis pilis mollibus pallidis. Aristae graciles, satis erectae, 5-7 mm longae 1-2 mm infra apicem insertae. Paleae lemmata aequantes, latae, membranaceae, ciliatae in carinis. Lodiculae circa 1 mm longae, plus minusve ovatae, acutae, irregulariter 1-2 lobatae. Antherae circa 3 mm longae. Flosculi bisexualis lemma circa 5 mm longum, anguste ovatum, laeve infra apicem; apex minute villosus, muticus vel subapicale mucronatus, mucrone ad 1 mm longo. Palea plus minusve lemma aequans, ovato-lanceolata.