Very stout, with drooping panicles, forming wide, dark green clumps, 150–350 cm. high, from a woody rootstock up to 3 cm. diam. Culms c. 1 cm. diam., up to 1.5 cm. diam. at the base. Lvs = or slightly < culms, not us. over-topping the panicle; lamina harsh, margins involute, ciliate just above the transverse line demarcating the sheath from lamina, becoming scabrid higher up with a few longitudinal rows of teeth just inside margin on abaxial surface; sheaths dull, light pinkish brown, glab., up to 4 cm. wide. Panicles drooping, 60–150 cm. long, very much branched, primary branchlets up to 45 cm. long. Spikelets 2-fld, c. 8 mm. long, , densely crowded, stalked, light chestnut-brown. Glumes 6–7; outer 3–4 empty, ± equal, 7–8 mm. long; inner 3 glumes smaller, 5–6 mm. long, red-brown, or green-brown below and red-brown towards tip. Stamens 4, bright red-brown. Style-branches 3–4. Nut 5–6 × 2–3 mm., fusiform, black when fully ripe, sts slightly grooved, shortly stipitate, with a light orange-brown, obtuse, pubescent tip; endocarp transversely grooved within.