Stiff, stout, erect annuals, 35-100 cm; branching intravaginal. Leaf-sheath glabrous, light brown. Auricles to 1 mm, spreading, or 0. Ligule 0.8-1.5 mm, truncate. Leaf-blade 10-22 cm × 3-4.5-(6) mm, flat, abaxially glabrous, adaxially scaberulous or rarely smooth; margins smooth below, scabrid near tapered acute tip. Culm 20-60 cm, internodes closely scabrid above or smooth. Spike 10-20-(34) cm, erect; rachis 1-2 mm wide, smooth or finely scabrid on convex side, margins scaberulous. Spikelets 10-30 mm, 5-12-flowered, green; florets turgid at maturity. Upper glume 10-22 mm, < to > spikelet, 7-9-nerved, rigid, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or subacute, smooth or scabrid. Lemma 5.5-9.5 mm, elliptic to ovate, smooth below, becoming hard at maturity, apex hyaline, scabrid, bifid, awned from sinus; awn fine, strongly scabrid, 1-13 mm, or 0. Palea = lemma. Anthers 2-3 mm. Caryopsis 5-6 × 2-2.5 mm.