Loose, dull green tussocks; leaves semi-pungent usually much < mature culms, disarticulating at ligule; new shoots intra vaginal. Sheaths pale stramineous, glabrous, rarely with long scattered hairs, collar-hairs (0.5)-1-2-(3) mm long; ligule 0.2-0.3- (0.6) mm long; lamina to 30 cm long, folded or tightly rolled, sometimes almost filiform, glabrous or rarely with long scattered hairs, margins scabrous near base and again towards tip. Culms up to 50- (70) cm tall, glabrous, minutely scabrous below inflorescence. Panicle erect, to 10 cm long, usually ± compact with several spikelets; rhachis and filiform pedicels closely short-scabrous with slightly longer hairs below spikelets and sometimes at branch axils. Spikelets (3)-4-5-(6)-flowered, awns slightly exserted from glumes. Glumes purpled centrally, lanceolate, subobtuse, (6)—7—10—(11) mm long, ± equal, lower 5-7-nerved, upper 3-5-nerved. Lemma 2—3—(3.5) mm long, 7-9-nerved, upper and lower rows of hairs usually sparse or lacking between dense marginal tufts, upper row < lemma lobes, lower row overlapping upper, glabrous and shining elsewhere, rarely with one or two hairs centrally; lemma lobes 1—2.5—(3) mm long, tapering to a minute to short fine awn. Central awn 2.5-5.5-(6.5) mm long; column 1-2 mm long, occasionally not developed, ± = palea and upper lemma hairs. Palea 3- 4 mm long, ± = upper lemma hairs, glabrous between keels, margins rarely with a few long hairs. Callus c. 0.4 mm long with marginal hair tufts much overlapping lower lemma hairs. Rhachilla 0.5-1 mm long. Anthers 0.5-1.3 mm long. Caryopsis 1.2-1.8 × 0.5-0.7 mm; embryo 0.5-0.7 mm long; hilum 0.2- 0.3 mm long. Endemic.

2n = 48

n = 36

2n = c. 72

2n = 72

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