Stiff, leafy tufts 18-36 cm tall, with narrow ± inrolled leaves and lax panicles; innovations intravaginal. Leaf-sheaths subcoriaceous, ± obviously nerved, smooth, light brown; ligule 1-3.2 mm, truncate, erase, minutely ciliate across top, abaxially scabrous; leaf-blades 2-12 cm × 0.3-0.9 mm, inrolled, abaxially smooth, sometimes scabrous near tip, adaxially ridged and short-scabrous on nerves, margins smooth, tip obtuse. Culms 5-20 cm, tall, densely, finely scabrous below panicle but usually enclosed within uppermost leaf sheath. Panicle (3)- 6-12 × 2—8—(12) cm, delicate, with fine, scabrous, erect to spreading branches, bearing spikelets at tips. Spikelets 3-5 mm, light green to light brown. Glumes l-(3)-nerved, elliptic-lanceolate, ± acuminate, strongly keeled, with keel finely scabrous in upper ½-2/3. Lemma 3-4.2 mm, slightly < glumes, firmly membranous, hairless, papillose-scabrous, elliptic-lanceolate, lateral nerves sharply excurrent to c. 1 mm; central awn 3.5-6.5 mm, geniculate, from lower 1/3 of lemma. Palea 2.5-3 mm, c. 2/3 lemma, lanceolate, bifid at tip, keels scabrous, margins submembranous, scabrous near tip. Callus hairs ± dense but very short, 0.3-0.8 mm, c. ¼ length of lemma. Lodicules 0.7-1 mm, lanceolate, acute. Rachilla 1.5-2.5 mm, with very short hairs throughout except sometimes near tip, rarely completely glabrous. Anthers (0.5)-0.7-0.9 mm. Caryopsis 1.4-1.6 × 0.5-0.7 mm. Endemic.

Stiff, leafy tufts 18-36 cm, with narrow ± inrolled leaves and lax panicles; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath subcoriaceous, ± obviously ribbed, glabrous, light brown. Ligule 1-3.2 mm, truncate, erose, minutely ciliate, abaxially scabrid. Leaf-blade 2-12 cm × 0.3-0.9 mm diam., inrolled, abaxially smooth, sometimes scabrid near tip, adaxially ribbed and short-scabrid on ribs, margins smooth, tip obtuse. Culm 5-20 cm, usually included within uppermost leaf-sheath, internodes densely, finely scabrid below panicle. Panicle (3)-6-12 × 2-8-(12) cm, delicate; branches fine, scabrid, erect to spreading, bearing spikelets at tips. Spikelets 3-5 mm, light green to light brown. Glumes 1-(3)-nerved, elliptic-lanceolate, ± acuminate, strongly keeled, keel finely scabrid in upper ½-⅔. Lemma 3-4.2 mm, ≈ glumes, firmly membranous, glabrous, papillose-scabrid, elliptic-lanceolate, lateral nerves sharply excurrent to c. 1 mm; central awn 3.5-6.5 mm, geniculate, from lower ⅓ of lemma. Palea 2.5-3 mm, c. ⅔ length of lemma, lanceolate, apex bifid, keels scabrid, margins submembranous, scabrid near apex. Callus hairs ± dense, very short, 0.3-0.8 mm, c. ¼ length of lemma. Rachilla prolongation1.5-2.5 mm, with very short hairs throughout except sometimes near tip, rarely completely glabrous. Lodicules 0.7-1 mm, lanceolate, acute. Anthers (0.5)-0.7-0.9 mm. Caryopsis 1.4-1.6 × 0.5-0.7 mm.

Grass related to D. billardieri (R.Br.) Kunth. Culms caespitose, erect to decumbent at base, leafy, 15-30 cm long. Leaf blade erect-spreading 5-10 cm long. somewhat involute to subulate, glabrous, green, 5-9 costate on adaxial side. Leaf sheath 3-10 cm long, cylindrical, uppermost sheath elongated ± turgid, pale green. Ligule 1-3 mm long, subacute, membranous. Panicle 6-12 cm long, sparsely branched, effuse, base included in sheath; branchlets capillary, somewhat scabrid. Pedicells 2-15 mm long, incrassate above, scabrid. Spikelets one-flowered, rachilla produced beyond floret, l1.5 mm long, plumose. Glumes c. 4 mm long, lanceolate, very acute, keeled, keels scabrid. Lemma 2.5 mm long, 5-nerved, middle nerve produced into awn from below the middle of lemma, ovate-lanceolate, sharply 4-dentate, somewhat indurate, scabrid, short hairy on callus. Awn c. 5 mm long, slender, geniculate, scabrid. Palea 2 mm long, oblong, bifid. Stamens 3. Ovary glabrous; styles 2, plumose. Caryopsis free, 2 mm long, oblong to ± fusiform, hard light brown, translucent.

Gramen D. billardieri (R.Br.) Kunth affinis. Culmi caespitosi, erecti vel basi decumbentes, foliosi, 15-30 cm longi. Foliorum laminae erecto-patentes 5-10 cm longae, paulo involutiores vel subulatiores, galbrae, 5-9 costatae in adaxali latere, virides. Vaginae 3-10 cm longae, cylindratae, vaginae summae elongatae, plus minusve turgidae, pallide virides. Ligula subacuta, scariosa, 1-3 mm longa. Panicula 6-12 cm longa, parce ramosa, effuse, paniculae basis in superiore vagina inclusa; ramuli capillares, paulo scabridiores. Pedicelli 2-15 mm longi, supreme incrassati, scabridi. Rachilla praeter flosculum producta, 1.5 mm longa, plumosa. Glumae c. 4 mm longae, lanceolatae, acutissimae, carinatae, carinae scabridae. Lemma 2.5 mm longum, 5-nerve, medio nervo in aristam producto ex inferiore parte lemmatis, ovato-Ianceolatum, acutissimum, quadridentatum, paulo induratius, scabridum; callus brevibus pilis. Arista c. 5 mm longa, gracilis, geniculata, scabrida. Palea 2 mm longa, oblonga, bifida. Stamina 3. Ovarium glabrum; styli 2 plumosi. Caryopsis libera, 2 mm longa, oblong vel ± fusiformis, dura, paelide fusca, translucida.