Loosely or compactly tufted tall perennials, often shortly rhizomatous. Leaf-sheath green, glabrous, striate, lower sheaths dark brown, sometimes purplish. Ligule (0.5)-1-2-(2.8) mm, membranous, blunt, sparsely ciliate, abaxially very minutely hairy. Leaf-blade 10-20-(30) cm × 2-5 mm, flat, finely ribbed, finely scabrid on ribs and margins, or almost glabrous, tapered to fine pointed tip. Culm 30-100 cm, erect or geniculate at base and rooting at lower nodes, nodes few, internodes ridged, glabrous. Panicle 3.5-9.5 cm, spike-like, with densely packed silvery green to purplish spikelets. Glumes 4-6 mm, ± equal, 3-nerved, margins united for ¼ length, acute, firm, finely hairy below, keeled, keel and lateral nerves fine-ciliate. Lemma 4-5.5 mm, 4-nerved, ovate or elliptic, blunt, membranous, keeled, keel finely hairy, margins united below midpoint; awn fine, 4.5-8-(9.5) mm, inserted near base, projecting 3-4 mm beyond glumes. Palea 0. Anthers 2-3.5 mm, yellow to purple. Caryopsis 1-1.2 × 0.6-0.8 mm.