Tufts green to dark green, often very slender, 65-100-(170) cm, erect or drooping above in taller plants. Leaf-sheath smooth, or slightly scabrid above, occasionally red-tinged. Ligule 2.7-5-(9) mm, obtuse, denticulate, abaxially finely scabrid. Leaf-blade 12.5-30 cm × 2-8 mm, finely scabrid on ribs and margins. Culm internodes glabrous. Panicle (12)-18-40 cm, very lax, equilateral; rachis smooth, branches and pedicels very filiform, finely scabrid. Spikelets 40-50 mm, 2-(3)-flowered; disarticulation below each floret at maturity. Glumes 7-9-nerved. Lemma 12-18 mm, narrow-lanceolate, light brown, with long stiff reddish hairs below level of awn insertion, green and scabrid above, each lobe-tip produced to a fine bristle (2-3 mm); lemmas awned, awns 30-36 mm, geniculate, column very dark brown, twisted. Palea keels with 1-2 rows of cilia, interkeel glabrous, flanks sometimes sparsely scabrid. Callus long hairy, with horse-shoe shaped scar. Rachilla long hairy. Anthers 2-3 mm. Caryopsis 5-7 × 0.8-1.3 mm, light brown, silky hairy.